Captive
by Nevermore22
Summary: Espio goes through a terrible ordeal. I have absolutely NO idea where this fic came from. Rated 'R' for semi-graphic depictions or rape and torture (noncon). *runs from Espio fans!*
1. Default Chapter

"Captive"

Nevermore22's notes: ..I have absolutely NO idea where this came from. I think it was inspired by the works of Nokiasama2000 and by a few twisted muses. I, personally, blame the muses and health class. ^_^; Reviews would be nice. Flames would be hung on my wall for others to see. Oh, rated 'R' for semi-graphic depictions of rape and torture. *runs from the Espio fans!*

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            Footsteps marked the arrival of the Guardian of the Floating Isle. He stood in front of his destination for a few silent moments, no sound save for the wind blowing through the old Dark Legionairre ruins. A crumpled piece of printout was held in one hand; Instructions. More like demands.

            A wary glance around the area only laid eyes upon his three companions. Mighty, Vector, and Julie-Su. The same expression belied all their features; Determination, hatred, and concern. They knew why they were here. A life hung in the balance. Relying, of course, that the life was still in existance.

            "Let's go." So they did. Walking silently in to ruins that were not, a building that still stood.

            A short time later, muffled cries echored throughout, seemingly engulfing the quartet in new fear. Espio. The life still existed, but was in pain.

            "I'm here!" Knuckles called out. As if on cue, or perhaps in response, a true scream from their freind waved through their souls. A scream that told of uncomprehensable pain, anguish, the tearing of a body and mind.

            "So, you are." A wicked laugh along with the rattling of chains averted the eyes of the four Chaotix to the entranceway to another room. Doorless, but no clear view to the interior.

            Breaths caught in the throats of the four. "Kragok.." Knuckles was the one to gasp out, eyes upon the Legionairre who should have been dead.

            That is, untill they noticed the figure hunched on the ground, chained and leashed as it was.

            "Oh, god.." Came from Mighty. The armadillo stared with no attempt to disguise his shock att he bloodied figure of their friend.

            Espio the chameleon, shackled wrists chained to shackled ankles, looked like he hadn't eaten in days. A metal collar fitted around his neck was leashed, the other end held in the single flesh hand of his captor. Blood pooled underneath his form, still forming from rivulets that ran from his mouth and just about his entire body from the waist down. The wounds were fresh.

            The low growling from Vector's crocodilian throat vocalised their growing hatred and anger perfectly.

            "What do you want?" Knuckles asked, eyes narrowed in a glare.

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_            "What do you want?" Espio asked, eyes narrowed in a glare._

_            Kragok circled the young chameleon, eyes overlooking every aspect of the boys' body, taking no notice of the return glare he revcieved. The teen's hands were chained to the ceiling, feet chained to the ground. Yet, the boy showed no fear. Kragok found it rather remarkable._

_            The Legionairre came to stand in front of the chameleon once again, smiling in a way that could only be described as 'malicious'. He leaned forward slightly untill their faces were inches apart. "Why, I want **you**." Flesh hand upon flesh cheek, and lips touched._

_            The confusion that clouded Espio's brain cleared in an instand of horrified understanding. He had been kidnapped alone, and, untill that moment, he couldn't understand why. Then, why else would the Legion go to the trouble of taking him and only him and then to be treated in such a way by their commander.._

_            "Oh, god!" Came the understanding cry. A laugh was the only response he recieved. Had Espio been able to move, even the slightest, he may have been able to avoid it when two of Kragok's mechanical fingers forced their way inside.._

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            Quiet sobbing, clearly heard throughout the rather silent ruins, diverted attention to the bloody teen once again.

            "You **bitch**!" Strangely, Vector was the one to stop Mighty from lunging forward.

            Knuckles, however, was not one to waste time on insults during such a dire situation. "What is it that you want, Kragok?"

            "Isn't it obvious?" A malicious grin spread across Kragok's face, nearly reaching his mismatched eyes.

            Eyes only narrowed further. "You want me." It wasn't a question; It was restating the facts.

            "No!" All eyes turned to the still sobbing chameleon. "Knuckles, don't give your -- !" The plea was cut short by a rather savage pull of his leash. A painfull cry escaped his mouth as he slipped on his own blood, jostling whatever injuries he had.

            Kragok, leash in flesh hand, sneered down at his captive. "Quiet, **whore**."

            This time, Julie-Su had to hold back Vector and Mighty from attacking Kragok.

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_            Espio couldn't remember when he started screaming. All he knew was pain, and that the screaming helped to release some of it. Not enough, but some. His own screams increased with every new thrust of agony._

_           "Be quiet, whore!" A metal hand smacked him at the back of his head, stunning him for a few moments. Screams turned to whimpers soon after, voice raw. It stayed that way for nearly two days afterwards._

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            "How long have you been doing this to him?!" Demanded Julie-Su, only able to glare angrilly at her half brother. For everything that he had done, not even she thought he would sink so low..

            "Since he's been in my custody." A calm reply with a smile, as nonchalant as if they had been discussing the weather.

            "But you kidnapped him two **weeks** ago."

            "And he's been my little whore ever since." Kragok tugged on the leash, causing the topic of their discussion to fall flat on the bloody floor again. "Ne, Espy-chan?"

            If looks could kill, Kragok would have been dead four times over.

            "I wasn't alone, you know." Seems that Kragok wasn't finished gloating. The Legionairre held all the cards and knew it. "Little Espy-chan is quite the slut.."

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_            They had been taking turns with him for hours now. Espio couldn't tell for how long, exactly. All he knew was that his body was a single throbbing pain, and that death would have been welcome. He had lost count after the fourth Legionairre had taken a turn, but that had been quite a while before. Despite it all, he still feared greater when Kragok returned._

_            "It's my turn again, Espy-chan.." A term of endearment so cruelly twisted to that of torture. "Here we go.."_

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            "You will die for this, Kragok." All present wondered how Knuckles continued to maintain such calm in his voice.

            The response was a low laugh. "I doubt that." Kragok flashed a grin to the quietly sobbing figure still on the ground, then looked back to Knuckles. "So.. Are you willing to trade yourself for him?"

            "No!" This time, Espio was ignored. Perhaps for the better.

            Soft 'click's were suddenly echoed around the room. Kragok seemed to know what the sound ment; Fear flashed in his single flesh eye for a split second. Then, it turned to anger, directed at Knuckles. "You agreed to only bring your group!"

            Knuckles continued to be stoic. "I lied."

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_            The echo of a 'click' awoke Espio from much needed slumber. His eyes opened, staring streight ahead at the door to the small cell that he was held in. He knew what was coming, but still could not stop the fear._

_            "Espy-chan, my little whore.." Kragok's voice, as clear as the water he so rarely recieved._

_            He couldn't stop the tears._

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            The Echidna Security Team had somehow gotten inside and throughout the ruins without alterting the Dark Legion. It was only a few scant minutes before all who were there, Kragok included, were restrained and arrested. As well as, in the process, the rescue of Espio.

            The teen's shock was more than understandable, and he was immediently rushed to the hospital. The Chaotix stayed at his side, but didn't ask questions.

            They were simply there for him, and that was enough.

            ~Fin~

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Nevermore22: ..And that's a wrap!

Espio: O__O Why did you do that to me?!

Nevermore22: ..Uhm.. Because you're my favorite Chaotix member?"

Espio: ;_; Meanie.

Nevermore22: Well, folx, if you want me to continue this, or write up a prequel, review and let me know! ^_^


	2. Chapter Two

Nevermore22/Cally_Kari_Shokka (depending the website): Due to a total of two responses, I decided to continue this thing. ^^ Reviews are welcome, flames are put on my wall for all to see. :D Someone! Review! ..Please?

Thanks goes to Nokiasama2003 (SO sorry for getting the name wrong last chappy!) for her review and emails. ^_^ Anyway, here we gooo..!

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**Captive: Part Two**

_If you are near to the dark_

_I will tell you 'bout the sun_

_You are here, no escape_

_From my vision of the world_

_You will cry, all alone_

_But it does not mean a thing to me_

-- 'Aura', .hack//SIGN

            Consciousness returned with a force that was neither wanted or achieved. Light, florescent and natural, filtered through the still closed eyelids of a teen. However, said teen simply did not want to awaken. To be awake was to be in pain; Two weeks in captivity left him with that knowledge.

            "Doctor, I think he's awake." A femenine voice called out. Doctor? No doctors ever visited his cell..

            "Call his friends. They've been in the waiting room for hours." His **friends**?

            Deciding that there might possibly be no danger here, eyes opened with tentative fear. White greeted him. With the recollection that his cell had no white, or even this level of luminoscity, his eyes open to their full. A confused glance around heralded the following facts: He was in an actual bed, an open window was next to said bed, the walls were white, and an echidna doctor with two nurses of the same species stood a few feet away. He was either in a hospital or a mental institution.

            "Good morning, Mr. Chameleon." The doctor greeted with a friendly smile. "Or, rather, good afternoon. It's nearly one o'clock."

            "Wha.." A cough. His throat was somewhat sore. "Where am I?"

            "Echidnopolis. Saint Angel Hospital, to be specific. The Guardian and your friends brought you in yesterday afternoon." The doctor seemed nice enough.

            "Espio!" Before any other questions could be asked or answered, Knuckles and the rest of the Chaotix all but barged in to the room. Knuckles was the one who called his name. "Thank god that you're awake!"

            Confusion was the only response Knuckles recieved for a few seconds. "..What do you mean?"

            "You were in the ER since last night!" That came from a frowning Mighty. "The doctors kept on telling us how much blood you lost and that you needed surgery and a hell load of other stuff. We didn't even know if you would make it through the night!"

            Espio glanced around at the faces of his friends, who, as memory of the previous day returned, had risked themselves to save him. "How did you find me?"

            "That son of a bitch, **Kragok**, held ya ransom." Vector growled, saying the Legionairre's name as if it were a curse. "I just wanna kill that fucking -- "

            "Vector!" Mighty glared at the crocodile, a chastising expression on the armadillo's face.

            "What?" Vector, for his part, couldn't figure out why Mighty was upset.

            "You shouldn't have tried to save me." All eyes turned to Espio in shock and disbelief. "You could have been killed.. Or worse.."

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            _Shudders racked the hung form as blood pooled underneath chained and shackled feet. The cell was cold, quiet, dark, and with only memories to accompany the prisoner child. He hated to think of himself as a child; After all, he was of legal age. Yet, he had to admit, he was just as helpless as one. After a single day of captivity, and he had allready screamed, had allready givin in to pain that he shouldn't have._

_            The 'click' of the cell door gave him incentive to look up and forward, fear in his heart but not in his eyes. Kragok was the one to walk through the door._

_            "My friends won't leave me here." Kragok stared at the teenager with surprise, not expecting vocal retaliation after what had happened the day before._

_            "Perhaps. And perhaps not." Kragok smiled, smug in the situation. "If they **do** find you, they will undoubtly attempt a foolish rescue. And then.." A laugh. "..They will be the same as you." A second laugh. "Admittingly, the armadillo **is** quite attractive."_

_            Espio couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You're sick.."_

_            Kragok only chuckled in reply, making his way behind his captive._

_            ..And the pain began anew._

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            "Hey, when has danger ever stopped us before?" Knuckles asked, smiling at the bedridden chameleon. He did not recieve a smile in return.

            The door opened with a quiet hiss. A meek nurse peaked inside. "M-Mr. Guardian? Constable Remington is requesting an audience with you and your friends."

            Knuckles frowned. "Now?"

            If it were possible, the nurse only became more meek. "H-He said it was urgent."

            Knuckles released a small sigh, then turned back to Espio. "We'll visit you again later, all right?"

            A nod was all he recieved in reply.

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            The chatter began as soon as the door was closed and they were sure they were out of earshot.

            "Vector, what the hell is the matter with you?!" Mighty chastised, giving his taller friend a glare.

            "What? What I'd do?" As it happened more often than not, Vector was utterly oblivious.

            Julie-Su, who had otherwise remained silent throughout the entire visit, sighed in annoyance. "Vector, you heard what the doctors told us. Vulgarity might bring back memories."

            "Hate to say this, But I think **anything** has a chance of bringing back memories." That came from Knuckles.

           "I still can't believe that this happened to him." Mighty frowned, troubled by the situation as a whole. "Julie, did you know that Kragok -- "

            "No." Julie-Su interrupted Mighty before he could finish the question. "To be honast, I just didn't think he would sink so low. I knew -- know -- that he's sick and twisted, but I never thought of him as a rapist."

            A few seconds of silence accompanied the group of worried teenagers as they continued their walk. Perhaps it was because one of them finally said the words aloud, allowing all their minds to finally absorb the simple truth of it all. Their friend, a brother by battle and hardship, had been **raped**.

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            As soon as he was alone, the tears began to fall.

            Espio hated himself, appearing so pitifull. He hated to be pitied, to be weak. He hated the fact that his friends had risked their lives for his own stupidity. After all, he should have been more prepared, should have escaped captivity, should have been able to fight back. He should have been able to fight off the Legionairres who attacked his home as he slept..

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            _"This is all your fault, you know." Kragok said between breaths, both arms around Espio's cheast, holding his captive against his body for every shift and thrust. The tears that fell against the Legionairre's arms went unnoticed in the moment. "Had you just been strong enough to fight us.. Espy-chan.. Then you wouldn't be here.."_

_            Pain filled sobs were his only response for a few seconds. "..Stop.."_

_            "But this is.. So much **fun**, Espy-chan.. My little whore.."_

_            "Please.. Stop! **Stop!**"_

_            A scream erupted at a vicious thrust._

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            Eyes widened at memory, and Espio hugged himself in an attempt at self comfort. The recollections of that hellish fortnight refused to escape his mind, bringing back flashes of pain and images of torture by even the smallest of unintentional reminders. Yet, he didn't want to let his friends know how greately he suffered. He didn't want them to feel either pity or guilt.

            It had to end. Espio didn't know how long he could live with constant flashbacks; He wouldn't be able to fight, wouldn't be able to help protect the island.

            He wouldn't be able to **live**.

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            "Guardian." A curt greeting from the Constable.

           "Constable." A response just as official, just as lacking in emotion, save for the raised eyebrow. Normally, official curtousy was thrown out the window with Knuckles, and he wondered at the sudden change in the older echidna. "What was so important that I had to see you **now**?" To say that he was upset for being pulled from his pained friend would be something of an understatement.

            "As you're all well aware of," A glance around signified the remaining Chaotix, "The Dark Legionairres arrested yesterday are being held in the prison system on multiple charges. However, those in custody barely account for a sixteenth of the Legion's full number."

            Knuckles wondered at the stoic, nearly completely lacking of personality, in the tone of Constable Remington. Normally, he would be friendlier, keeping official tones as far away as possible. With a glance to his friends, he could tell that the same thoughts were occuring to them as well. However, none made a comment on it. "And?"

            Remington frowned. "While interrogating Kragok," None of them missed the strange expression he made while speaking the name of the Legionairre commander, "He made some disturbing yet cryptic remarks."

            Knuckles was starting to get a terrible feeling down his spine. "What kind of remarks?"

            "Firstly, that there were Legionairres who came to the ruins and left within the two weeks of your friends' capture. Secondly, Kragok claims that he was **not** the one who ordered the kidnapping. And, third, non-Legionairres seemed to have been involved."

            There was a slight pause as the protectors of the Floating Island digested this strange bit of information. Knuckles seemed to be the voice of the four for the moment. "Was this all the information Kragok decided to reveal?"

            The first trance of personality throughout this entire morbid conversation passed through the Constable's face for a brief second, yet Knuckles was able to identify the emotion; A clear sadness, almost pitying in essence. "Well, no, but I rather not go into details." Knuckles couldn't help but wince at the implications of just how much Kragok could have gone in to.

            "Thanks." Knuckles said after a few moments. As if taking this as a signal, Remington nodded slightly before turning and walking away.

            As soon as the Constable was out of earshot, the Chaotix began to talk amongst themselves again.

            "What the hell did **that** mean?" Vector asked, frowning in confusion.

            "Legionairres came and left.." Mighty made a sound something akin to a 'hmph'. "Sick.. Some people actually came to the ruins just to hurt Espy and then leave.."

            "If Kragok wasn't the one who wanted Espio kidnapped, who was it?" Julie-Su frowned. "I mean, this could go all the way to Dimitri himself.."

            "I don't even **want** to think about **that**!" Mighty shuddered at the prospect.

            "Non-Legionairres were involved.." Knuckles shook his head slightly. "This just gets worse with every passing minute.."

            Vector began to growl low in his throat.

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            _A stinging pain awoke him, once again, from sluber. It almost seemed to be a hobby of his captors; See what instruments of pain would awaken their toy from unconsciousness quickest. Turning head and eyes, Espio was able to glimpse a metal creature with a whip in hand. 'Creature' by defenition only for the fact that it was more machine than flesh. A name came to recollection; Xenin. He wasn't too afraid of the mostly-mecha Legionairre; Although powerfull, it lacked the anatomy for what was truly feared._

_            Turning his perception back to his front, Espio was nonetheless forced in to the all familliar depths of fear. The single Legionairre he feared above all others stood, smirking smugly. As usual as of late, Kragok was not wearing the cloak normally donned during battle, a sign of true perversity. "Good morning, Espy-chan. Sleep well?"_

_            The only response from the bound chameleon was an empty glare. Of course, Espio couldn't even tell if it actually **were** morning; No light from the sun penetrated the dank cell._

_            If it were possible, Kragok's grin only became more smug. "I have a surprise for you, Espy-chan." The tone sent new warning bells in Espio's mind; Far too saccharine to bode well. Kragok looked to Xenin. "Bring him down."_

_            Bring him **down**? In the week of his captivity and torture, not once before had he been released from his shackles. It was then that Espio began to wonder if Kragok was finally going to kill him; Death would be a welcomed liberty._

_            With limbs stiff from being held in a single position for so long, there was absolutely no way for Espio to fight or struggle. Xenin had no difficulty holding the chameleon on knees covered in dried and wet blood._

_            The kneeling position was utter agony for the teenager; Stiff limbs combined with far too much abuse to the lower half of his body had made every muscle between the waist and knees sore as if enflamed. Nonetheless, Espio managed to hold back tears._

_            A hand around his horn forced his head to move upwards, eyes forced upon his most hated and feared captor. The first sight his eyes stopped upon was that dangerous area between the echidna's thighs. A moment passed before Espio understood why he was unshackled._

_            Kragok's perfectly gleefull tone only confirmed the understanding. "Open wide, Espy-chan.."_

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            Espio screamed as he awoke from the nightmare. ..No, not nightmare. Memory. A terrible, terrible memory that he wished he could forget.

            Releasing a rather indignant cry of frustration, Espio flopped backwards on the hospital bed. Not even in his sleep was he safe from memory, and the realization of this fact filled him with new dread. Was there truely no escape? Would he spend the rest of his life reliving that fortnight, always fearing, always screaming? Would Kragok forever be in his mind?

            A turntable of misery and thought brought fitfull slumber back to the victimized chameleon, even as a final thought made way for a new round of nightmares.

            Would death be easier?

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Nevermore22/Cally_Kari_Shokka: Aaaand THAT'S a wrap for this chappy! Is anyone reading this? ^^ Nokiasama, your emails are welcome, and any suggestions and ideas are, too. That goes for any other readers, as well. Kyaha..

Espio: *hiding in a closet* Save me from this madwoman! o__o

Nevermore/Cally: *locks the closet* Kyaha!

Espio: ;__; Noo..


	3. Chapter Three

Nevermore/Cally's notes (again, depending the website): Whee! Chapter three! ..I'm amazed at the reviews I'm getting. People like this! I have no idea why! ^^; Meh, I'll keep going, as long as people keep reviewing. Even flames, I don't care! :D ..By the way, I don't own the Chaotix or any of the Archie or Sega characters. If I did, it would not be a kiddie theme. Bwaha.

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**Captive: Part Three**

_It's haunting, how I can't seem_

_To find myself again_

_My walls are closing in_

_Without a sense of confidence, I'm convinced_

_That there's just too much pressure to take_

-- Linkin Park, _Krawlng_

            Mighty the armadillo walked along the near silent streets of Echidnopolis towards Saint Angel Hospital, thoughts oddly clear and streightforward for the late post-midnight hour. As friends of the Guardian and likewise protectors of the island, the Chaotix were givin more leeway for just about everything in the city; Including being allowed to visit the hospital at all hours. Although, the group **had** agreed to follow the rules that the normal citizens were restricted to, they did take these extra extentions to effect every so often. Mighty was sure that he wasn't the only one to make a spontaneous late night/early morning visit to their ailing friend.

            It had been a full month since the initial kidnapping, two weeks since the rescue, and Espio continued his stay in the hospital. Not much of a change; Nothing for the better, yet nothing worsened either.

            Ignoring the nurses who greeted him inside, Mighty signed the notepad that all hospital visitors had to sign before being allowed in. Name, time, patient visiting. He was a little surprised to see Vector's name further up the list; Visited only a couple hours before.

            A small smile graced the armadillo's face; Too long had the Chaotix fought together, growing on a war-torn world, that they had become family. Brothers, best friends. When one was in danger, they all attempted to help. When one ached, they all ached. When one suffered, they all suffered.

            Down the corridors, up a flight of stairs; The hospital in it's after hours setting was absolutely silent. Patients slept, nurses and doctors silently made their rounds. He recieved a few smiles, but was otherwise ignored.

            Mighty paused in front of a single-occupancy room. He opened the door as silently as he could; Espio was asleep. With footsteps being the only sound in the room, Mighty came to stand at his friends' bedside, watching the chameleon's form as he suffered in sleep.

            As most victims of nightmares did, Espio sweated and mumbled. "No.. Please.. Not again.."

            Mighty frowned in anger and concern, taking a seat at a stool by the hospital bed. Anger at Kragok and the Dark Legion, concern for the safety and sanity of his friend. Lower mumblings came from the nightmare-ridden form, and some of what was spoken caused the armadillo's eyes to widen in shock and disbelief; Details to frighten the soul.

            With a sudden cry that startled the armadillo, the focus of his concern sat up and awoke, breath heavy near the point of hyperventalation. With an expression akin to alarm, Espio quickly looked around the room. The aftereffects of a memory nightmare; He thought he was still there. After a few seconds, Espio eventually caught sight of the silent armadillo. "..Mighty?"

            "Hey." Came the hesitant greeting. "Um.." He paused, unsure what to say. "..I just wanted to see how you were." How could he handle simple conversation without hurting his friend?

            Espio's eyes closed for a moment, and it was more than obvious that he was trying to hide his pain. "I'm fine. Really." At the concerned glance he recieved, he held up his hands as if in defense. "I just had a nightmare, but I'm okay.."

            "Espio.." Mighty frowned deeply, recalling some of what he heard while his friend slept. "What did Lien-Da do to you?"

            Eyes widened in response, shocked, as Espio looked at Mighty with nothing short of horror. "Lien-Da?"

            "You said her name while you were sleeping. Talking can help ease the pain.."

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            _Suddenly, all he could see was the flesh of a red-furred woman, eyes and face literelly shoved in to the surpringly soft flesh of her lower stomach. One red hand was wrapped firmly around his golden horn, the other around the back of his head. He was held on his knees by a pair of mismatched hands on his shoulders; One flesh, one mechanical. His mouth was where he never thought it would be, where he never **wanted** it to be, open and toungue acting as directed. He tried to close his mouth once, tried to refuse, only to be forced to continue with pain and threat of more. The woman he was being forced to pleasure moaned._

_            "I heard that.." She spoke between breaths. "..Chameleons were skilled with.. Their toungs, but.. Oh, god!" She let out a wild, wicked laugh. Lien-Da._

_            Neither of his torturers noticed his tears._

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            With a gasp and another self hug, Espio turned away from Mighty, eyes glancing out to stare at the late night world through the window. Mighty frowned, internally berating himself for not being more delicate about the situation, for not choosing his words better. "I.." He paused a moment. "I'm sorry, Esp. I shouldn't have -- "

            "I couldn't stop them." The chameleon's interruption surprised Mighty into stunned silence. "They kept on hurting me over and over and I could't stop them.." A sob that the youth couldn't surpress began a new torrent of tears that sent his armadillo friend into an insecure sadness. What should he do? Mighty wanted to comfort his friend, to help him more than anything else, but did not know what to do. Briefly, a part of his mind considered giving the chameleon a hug; However, even he knew it would have been far too awkward considering the situation. Instead, he placed a hand on his friends' hand. Still, Espio pulled his hand away, giving the armadillo a horrified stare.

            A moment of uncomfortable silence reigned. The chameleon's reaction was somewhat difficult for Mighty to understand; He knew that his friend was pained, far more than he could possibly understand, and it frustrated him. Not that he was frustrated with Espio per se, but with his own inability to comprehend his anguish. After all, Mighty was not one to think ahead into situations; He always barreled into things head first.

            It was difficult for Mighty to understand just how fragile Espio was in his current condition; What exactly did he know of the comrade he considered a brother? The chameleon was a brooder; That was very much obvious more often than not. He chose to keep to himself, and was very analytical. Somewhat cynical, but many were after growing in war. Espio was a realist, while Mighty was an optimist. No matter how rough life was, Mighty always had thought, there was always tomorrow to try and make it better. Right?

            "So.. Uhm.." This was getting more awkward as time progressed. "..Is the hospital food as bad as they say?" Silence reigned again in response to the query, Espio giving his friend an incredulous stare.

            After a few moments, the chameleon tilted his head as if giving thought to the question. His response was mumbled low, nearly too low for Mighty to hear in the opressive silence. "Could be worse. Could've been Vector's barbeque.."

            Mighty allowed himself to smile a little. The attempt at humor brightened his spirits. "You know, Esp -- "

            "I already know what you're going to ask, what you're thinking." Espio's interruption came as a shock to the armadillo. His voice was sharp, yet quivered every few syllables. "And, no, you're not going to understand. None of you are able to.." He gripped the bedsheets tightly, head turned and gaze turned to his own lap. It was obvious that he struggled to contain himself even then.

            After a few seconds of frowning, Mighty tried to obtain another reaction from his friend. "..It can't be healthy to hold it in like this.."

            Espio's form did not shift from its position. "I don't want you to know." He paused. "For good reasons."

            "But you're suffering.." Mighty's tone had gone down to a whisper, a feeble attempt to help his friend further.

            "I won't tell you anything else, Mighty." Mighty paused at the seemingly angry tone in his friend.

            After several more minutes of further silence, neither teen saying a word and the suffering still unable to look the would-be helper in the eyes, Mighty decided that keeping his friend awake and uncomfortable any further would only serve to aggravate. Without much more than the sounds of the stool shifting on the tiled floor, the armadillo stood, turned, and left.

            The tears came again, bare seconds after Mighty had left.

----------------------------------------

            After a few hours of a somewhat restless sleep, Mighty had come to the conclusion that the only way he was going to get any frustration or anger out of his system was by going to the single place to do the only thing that ever cleared his mind: The gym. A strenuous hour or two of massive weight lifting always seemed to clear his mind of any troubles. He didn't know if it would work for the current situation, but couldn't see the harm.

            A gym by the name of the 'Emerald Ring Gym' became a regular area for him; He had come across it once when he had an hour to spare before a Chaotix meeting. Since then, he had taken an hour every few days or so to stop by; He knew the gym's workers on a first name basis now.

            It came as an absolute shock to find Knuckles and Vector within the gym, the former punching what appeared to be the remains of a punching bag on the ground. A crude drawing of Kragok's face was loosly taped to the 'head' of said remains. Vector stood a few feet away, staring at the echidna with a somewhat amused expression on his crocodilian face. "Hey, Knux!" After a few seconds of recieving absolutely no response from the echidna, the volume of the crocodile's voice escalated. "Hey! Knux! Does 'property damage' mean **anything** to ya?! We owe money to this gym as it is, y'know! Wreckin' their stuff aint gonna help us any!"

            "We owe money?" Knuckles looked up from the pulped remains of the bag. "How?!"

            "Mighty. Benchpress. Three guesses."

            An indignant frown came to Mighty's face as he stepped forward. "Oh, come on, Vec. You were there that time. Not my fault that the benchpress couldn't hold the weight I was lifting." He recieved strange stares from the two. Mighty stared at them both, back and forth, for a second; Then, he threw his arms in the air, giving in. "Fine, fine! Three thousand pounds was a bit much. But I **still** think it should've held it.." As Vector smiled at him wryly, Mighty took a moment to step around to look at the bag's remains, picking up the line drawing of Kragok's face. "So.." A pause. "..Any particular reason we couldn't go punching the real thing?"

            Vector snorted. "Yeah, **that** would've gone over well with the media." This time, Mighty and Knuckles gave Vector the strange stare. He looked up at them, surprised. "What? You guys never think about that stuff? We're on TV every goddamned day."

            Knuckles let out a small sigh. "Honestly, I wish we **could** go kicking Kragok's ass in person." The stares turned to him. "..What?"

            "You said 'ass'." Vector widened his eyes in surprise. "You never say anythin' even close to a cuss." Knuckled pulled a face in response.

            As the group started to make their way towards the gyms' exit and away from the bags' remains, Knuckles recalled some information that he thought the two Chaotix members might have preferred to know. "I called Charmy a couple hours ago."

            Mighty and Vector winced simontaneously. Both teenagers had completely forgotten to call the bee; Both when Espio was first kidnapped that seemingly eternity ago, and when he was rescued. Mighty supposed that their minds were jumbled as it was to remember to call _everyone_. "What did you tell him?" Unsurpringly, Mighty was the one to ask the question.

            Knuckles frowned, leaving the gym at that moment through the paneglass doors, "The basic truth; We found Espio and that he was hurt."

            "You didn't tell 'em -- " Vector began to ask.

            "No." Knuckles did not let the crocodile finish the question. "No, I.." He paused. "I didn't think Espio would've wanted any more people to know than necessary."

            The trio walked in silence for a few minutes, lost in miasma of thought. After some time, Vector decided to pose a question. "So.. Uh.." A pause. "..Where are we goin', again?"

            Silence reigned for several more minutes, the armadillo and crocodilian Chaotix members staring at the back of their suddenly tense echidna leader. It was a short time later when he answered. "I think we should give Kragok a little visit.."

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            It wasn't difficult to gain access to the maximum security wing of Echidnopolis Prison; Once the guards at the front gate recognized who was approaching the complex, they allowed him ,as well as the Chaotix, instant access. Knuckles decided that he would have to talk to Constable Remington about that later; Not even a DNA matchup had been done. Massive security breech there, had he been a disguised Legionairre.

            Kragok was being held in a cell at the end of a long corridor, Legionairres with lesser status locked up in cells along the way. Thick, electrified bars was all that stood between the Guardian and the Dark Legion; All the prisoners could do was sneer and shout obsceneties. None of it bothered the trio. However, Kragok neither swore nor frowned. Strangely enough, he **smiled** at the three, seeming as if he had been expecting them. Perhaps he had been. "So.." Kragok had been first to speak. "How's Espy-chan doing?"

            The flippancy of how the question was ask was enough to instigate a reaction. Vector responded with a vague obsceneity mumbled under his breath while Mighty had grown a cold, hard expression in his eyed. Knuckled stiffened, frowning, but replied nonetheless. "Healing."

            Still, Kragok's expression of content did not waver. "I suppose you're here to either insult me, or ask me something."

            Neither Vector nor Mighty spoke. Knuckles was, once again, the voice of the trio. "Why?" Cold. Hard. No insinuations. It utterly confused the imprisoned Legionairre. Knuckles realised this confusion before Kragok could respond with a query of his own, and decided to clarify. "Why Espio? It was night. You could have easilly attacked any of us."

            "Hadn't we gone through this with the EST?" Seems Kragok was in the mood of answering a question with a question. "I was **ordered** to kidnap one of your dear friends. It was a matter of taste that lead me to your chameleon friend."

            "A matter of taste?" Knuckles asked with the same cold emotion that he had taken on since entering the prison. Cold, calculated, but absorbed in the personal strike the situation pertained.

            Kragok shrugged, taking upon a nonchalant demeanor. Had the personality been anywhere else, he may as well have been responding about the state of the weather. "Mm. Furless, a tail that could easily be removed, and that horn was a perfect handle." A pause, as the grinning Legionairre leaned towards the bars. "Espy-chan gives excellent head. Swallows, too." Suddenly, it became obvious that Kragok was enjoying the conversation.

            The response to the comment was instantaneous. Mighty and Vector both would have jumped at the electrified bars in their fury, had Knuckles not held out both of his arms to stop them. A terrible silence followed, filled with the electric fury of the Chaotix and the Guardian, as well as the perverse joy of the Legionairre.

            "Have you ever heard little Espy-chan scream? It's delicious." Kragok had not been finished gloating. "He was the perfect one of your friends to serve as my whore. I doubt any of your other friends, or even **you**, would have been quite as entertaining."

            Vector had begun to growl again. A thick, resonating sound that spoke of impending danger. However, Knuckles decided then that they were not going to get any new information out of the Legionairre past what was done to their pained friend. "Come on." He instructed his two friends. "Let's leave."

            Neither of the two objected. 

            Kragok did not leave any parting words. He only smiled.

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            _The scarce rays of artificial light penetrated the damp cell, signalling arrival. Light only penetrated the bleak darkness before pain ensued; A calm before a storm. Eyes red from a combination of tears and lack of sleep looked upwards, turning to the door. If one who cared were to look into the widened eyes, they would have seen pain and fear too deep for sentient comprehension._

_            He was there, again. Espio wondered, briefly, if it were a nightmare or a reality. Then, decision came that it would not have mattered; Pain, both of body and of mind, was percieved either way._

_            The door began to open with the characteristic 'click' that he had grown to fear and loathe, and several figures entered the darkness. Along with the expected Legionairre Commander, several unmistakeable, yet completely unexpected, bodies walked the darkness. Espio had to blink several times before understanding that this had to have been within the world of the sleeping. Why else would the other Chaotix, as well as Knuckles, be accompaning Kragok to torture him again? He was chained between the ceiling and floor; Defense was an impossibility._

_            "You liked it, didn't you?" The comment came as a shock to the chameleon youth, turning to stare with wide eyes at Knuckles. The Guardian was not finished speaking with the hurtfull query. "Little slut, always getting some dick up your ass."_

_            The rational part of Espio's mind knew that this was a nightmare, and tries to scream it's warning to the rest of his mind. Yet, panic and fear drowned out that little voice with shrieks of their own. Even as Mighty wrapped his arms around from his back, logic could not be reached. "Mebbe he'd enjoy it even more if we gave him some, eh?"_

_            Logic was completely drowned out now. Fear rose it's voice high. Espio's body stiffened in the shock of the moment. Vector released a maniacal laugh that sent shivers down his spine._

_            Kragok grinned widely, waving a hand with nonchalance. "Please, be my guests. I'm sure our little whore here would enjoy it all."_

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            Awakening with a cry of terror had become more than natural in the past while; The hospital staff learned to ignore it after the first few days. For that, Espio was gratefull; The less people knew of his nightmares, the less pity he recieved, the less he would have to relive by way of explanation. It suited him just fine. It was the middle of the day, late afternoon by the clock, and he surprised himself with the knowledge that he had fallen asleep. Granted, sleep during the nightly hours had become increasingly more difficult since his rescue, but he hadn't thought that he would be so exhausted as to fall asleep during daylight hours.

            A chill suddenly encompassed his body. At first, he thought it was an aftereffect of the nightmare; At times, he would feel the effect for hours after awakening. Yet, somehow, he knew that it was not. Something else was terribly wrong. His glance wandered from his lap to the window. Three shadows of specs were visible in the clear, cloudless distance. Blinking twice in confusion, he peered closer; Aircraft. Small, round aircraft. The only beings he knew of that possessed craft of that design were the Dark Legion.

            An explosion of panic and swears passed through his mind just as an explosion rocked another wing of the hospital. They were back; He knew they were here for him. He decided he had to take at least **some** course of action. In his panic, logic failed again.

            Chamoflauged, he hid under the hospital bed.

-------------------------------------------------------

            The explosion echoed throughout all of Echinopolis, bringing panic to the minds of the Chaotix. They had just stepped out of the prison complex; Yet, Knuckles could tell exactly where the explosion had occured by the thick smoke drifting in the horizon. The Guardian staggered back a step from shock. "Oh, hell." With the realization, Knuckles took off down the streets. Shock wore off in to determination.

            Mighty and Vector shared a glance for a brief moment, realization entering their minds somewhat slower than their acute Guardian friend, yet followed as soon as it came.

            They were too far away, came the horrified knowladge, to get to their friend in time. Mighty voiced this aloud with a rethorical query. "Who the hell puts together a city with a hospital and prison on opposite ends?!"

-----------------------------------------------------

            Silence reigned through the hospital room, the faint echoes of panicked hospital staff barely filtered through the door. Most of the hospital rooms were soundproof for safety; Espio wished that his room was not.

            The creaking of the door sent a strange combination of fear and hope through his mind; Fear for the Legionairre that may walk through, hope for a friend or nurse. After a few seconds of pure silence as he continued to hide under the bed, clinging to the bottom of the mattress, a voice wavered through the room. Fear won out.

            "Damnit, he's not in here." Dark Legionairre. The voice was not familliar. "Could he have been reassigned to another room?"

            A second voice grunted in reply to the firsts' acute analysis. "Hold on a minute. I got infra-red." 

            No sound escaped from Espio past low breathing, yet fearfull blasts racked his mind. Silence filled the room for several seconds more; Perhaps, had he kept his eyes open instead of shutting out the world in his fear, he may have seen the Legionairre kneel next to the bed to grab at him from underneath. A yelp of fear could not be repressed as Espio was dragged out, struggling as two Legionairres joined the first in restraining him, pulling him atop the hospital bed that had, untill that moment, been a center for healing.

            A fortnight of merciless torture and humilation followed by an equal amount of time spent attempting to recover from said torture had left the chameleon youth physically weaker than he had been before the situation came to pass. The three Legionairres, who Espio would have been able to, at the least, defend himself against a month prior, were able to hold him atop the hospital bed despite his struggles. A fourth Legionairre, who stood smugly several feet away with a strange device in hand, ordered the youth to be flipped on his stomach. Despite literal kicking and screaming from the teen, it was done quickly.

            The fourth Legionairre approached the sobbing restrained teen with a wicked chortle. The clang of metal against metal echoed through the room. A loud bang quickly followed; For a moment, Espio had thought a gun had fired. A split second later, he was able to identify the sound as the door being flung open.

            "Get your goddamned fucking hands **away** from him!"

----------------------------------------------------------

            By the time Knuckles, Mighty and Vector had gotten to the hospital, five full minutes had passed since the explosion/invasion. Ignoring the chaos that the hospital staff had become, the trio swiftly ran through the hospital to their friends' room. They feared the worst, yet hoped for the best. They prayed that their friend had not been kidnapped again, had not been killed, had not been raped again. They certainly had not been expecting what they **did** find.

            Blasters of various manufacture littered the floor; Most of which were of Legionairre design. Four Legionairres were tied up in rope and hospital bedsheets in the corner furthest from the bed, only half of which were conscious.

            Espio, for all intent and purpose, was in one piece. Sobbing, nearly hyperventalating, but no new blood from his form had been shed. He leaned against a pink-furred form, recieving a small hug and comforting whispers. The scene was akin to a mother comforting her child after a nightmare. Julie-Su, after some few seconds, looked up from her maternal position to the newly arrived Chaotix, frowning in concern and anger.

            "**You!**" Mighty was first to react to it all, rushing at the restrained Legionairres. The nearest conscious robed figure was quickly lifted against the wall, banged hard against the plaster. "Why the hell are you attacking him again!? Can't you leave him alone!?" It was not clear weather the armadillo was slightly hysterical or not.

            "What the hell is this thing?" Vector had noticed something the rest of the group had not, picking up a strange metal device from the ground. All eyes, including those of the conscious Legionairres, turned to the crocodile as he handled the strange device.

            "That.." The Legionairre still held against the wall began, a superior tone in his voice. "Is what was to be the death of the whore." All he recieved for the insult was an angry, if painfull, bang against the wall.

            The metal device, shaped akin to a pear with a handle at it's top, appeared ancient with the rust that encompassed it. It had no further markings, seemingly quite plain and harmless despite the situation. One would suppose that an antique dealer would more likely have it in their posession than the Dark Legion. Still, in somewhat dangerous curiosity, Vector turned the handle at it's top. In response, the pear twisted open with a show of violence; Three seperate prongs, tipped with spikes, still connected at the handle. With the realization of what exactly it would have been used for, the crocodilian teen dropped the device on the floor, mouth gaped in shock. Even Espio had gone quiet as the event unfolded.

            Mighty turned his gaze back to glare at the Legionairre he held, eyes hard in anger and the intent to harm. Violent fantasies passed through the armadillos' mind, before he decided to simply throw the would be assassin back to the ground. The Legionairre stayed conscious, but was in pain. It suited the Chaotix just fine.

            "Wait!" The second conscious Legionairre, his own eyes wide in uncharacteristic fear, called for the attention of his captors. He was not dissapointed. At the multiple hatefull glares, he shifted uneasilly; Knuckles got the impression that the Legionairre was not nearly as violent as his allies. "Uhm.." Surprisingly, the robed figure actually stuttered. "W-we were to send a message if we failed.."

            "Ah, yes.." The more violent Legionairre spoke up, leaning himself against a wall despite his restraints. His passive counterpart seemed to shrink as he spoke up. "A message from our imprisoned Commander's sister, Lien-Da."

            Mighty was the only one who seemed to notice Espio's expression change from one of fear to one of horror.

            "If we were to fail, we were to inform the Guardian and his allies that Lien-Da is carrying the whore's offspring."

            That's when Espio began to wail.

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Nevermore/Cally: Bwee! Aint I evil? ^^

Espio, still in the locked closet: .....Help.

Nevermore/Cally: Bwaha! :D Viva la feedback!


	4. Chapter Four AT LAST!

Cally/Nevermore's notes: ..Well, this took a bit longer than I intended. *cough* Er, sorry for the wait, people.. Summer school started (bleah), got sick a couple of days, and writers block attacked after Espio escaped from the closet. :P ..Not to worry, though! A couple other muses dragged him back in. ^__^ Special thanks goes out to Nokiasama2003 and Alba Aulbath. Alba helped with many scenes. :D Saankyuu!

Legal Notes: Don't own any of them. Wish I did. Meh.

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**Captive: Part Four**

_I'm frightened by what I see_

_But, somehow, I know that there's much more to come_

_Immobilized by my fear_

_And soon to be blinded by tears_

_I can stop the pain, if I will it all away.._

-- Evanescence, "Whisper"__

_            Chains rattled, as the chained youth continued in an attempt to free himself from the bindings. It had been three days, more or less, since he was taken so abruptly from his home; he wasn't quite sure how long had passed, exactly, but it was an estimation based on sleep. He ignored, to the best of his ability, the blood around his anus and thighs; he had convinced himself that it was torture, and only torture. This inward conviction was all that kept him from going mad with fear, he believed._

_            With a sigh, and the understanding that the way the chains were wrapped around his wrists and ankles were too professionally done to obtain freedom on his own, he assessed his situation for what felt to be the thousandth time. There was no danger of suffocation, at the least; his feet were flat upon the ground. Movement was all that was restricted. His tail, which he foolishly tried to use to prevent his captors from abusing his rear, had been removed twice; his tail, as it did with all of his kind, would regrow again within a day. For a reason he couldn't fanthom, his sneakers and gloves had been removed before he had even regained consciousness on that first night; probably to highten the feeling of nudity, of vulnurability._

_            A 'click' echoed throughout the room. The eyes of the prisoner widened involountarily. Fear was tangible, and the emotion flooded the room from the single invidual. Unsurprisingly, yet with a new torrent of fear and unease, Kragok walked in to the room. A smile that could only have been described as 'lewed' crossed the Legionairre's face. A second Legionairre, this one unfamilliar, followed the first; the fact that this new person was not wearing the usual robe indicated a high level of power._

_            A raised eyebrow by the second Legionairre was sent his way once he had enough control over his emotions to glare at them. "The chameleon? **He's **your whore?" If either Legionairre noticed the shudder that passed through their prisoners' body, neither gave reaction to it._

_            Kragok only shrugged slightly in reply. "He was an easy target, grandfather. Not to mention the body." ..Grandfather? Hadn't Knuckles once mentioned him? Moritori Rex?_

_            A strange stare, undeciferable through the visor around his eyes, was what Kragok recieved from his grandfather. The youth wasn't sure weather to breath in relief or not; it almost seemed as if Moritori did not share his relatives' view. Perhaps he wouldn't be raped again. After a moment of silence, Moritori walked the few paces to the glaring chameleon, lifting the youth's head with a single finger under the chin. "I've heard that you still have some spirit in you. You refuse to be broken." _

_            That much had been true; he tried to keep his screaming to a minimum, did not want to give his captors victory so easily. At the angry glare on the chameleon's face, Moritori grinned. A maniacal, crazed grin. "Let's remedy that." The older Legionairre held up, to be clearly viewed by his captive, a long, thick, metal rod. Atleast two feet long, at least three inches in diameter. Both Legionairre's grinned wildly. Fear clutched at the chameleon's heart._

_            Moritori held the rod, walking beyond the youths' sight. Within seconds, terrible pain lanced through his body. A scream of pain and shock threatened to escape from the chameleon, yet he was somehow able to repress it. Eyes widened to their full, however, and he breathed nearly to the point of hyperventalation. The rod was drivin deeper, Moritori growled from behind him, yet the youth was able to control himself. He did not scream for them, with a silent mantra that this was simply torture, that he could handle pain._

_            After some time, he was not sure how long, Moritori was again in his line of vision. The rod not been removed, but had, instead, been drivin deeper than anything had been before that point on time. It pained the body worse than anything, and he desperately wanted it out. He continued his control over himself, however, and did not voice it._

_            Moritori lifted his captives' head by the horn. Pained amber-yellow eyes met the crimson glare of optics. After a few seconds, the Legionairre released the youths' face and, without removing the instrument of torture, turned and began to walk away._

_            "Grandfather?" Kragok, surprisingly, appeared confused by his grandfather's actions._

_            "We'll see how stubborn he'll be in a few hours. Leave him like this. You'll understand later."_

_            Despite the younger Legionairre's confusion, Kragok shrugged lightly and followed his grandfather._

_            When Kragok and Moritori Rex returned nearly four hours later, their prisoner was crying, pleading, begging for the rod to be removed, for his body to be allowed the simple act of releasing the contents of his bladder._

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            Surprisingly, it was Vector who was first to react to the new bout of information. Storming towards the smug Legionairre much like Mighty had done several minutes before, the crocodilian teen landed a single punch to the robed face. "Why the fuck should we believe ya?! Yer probably lying!" Despite the now growing bruise over the Legionairre's face, Vector's entire body was tensed in restraint; he obviously felt the Legionairre deserved more. They all did, really.

            If the Legionairre noticed the dangerous tone or the multiple glares, he did not reveal it. On the contrary, he only became more smug. "Believe what you want, the truth stands. Besides.." A dark smile was sent towards the wailing chameleon. "It takes two to tango."

            The wailing stopped with a shuddering gasp, as the eyes of the chameleon teen shifted to stare at each of his friends with an expression of fear. "No! I didn't want it, I didn't want it! You have to believe me!" The shocked expressions he recieved for his defence was misinterpreted as something else entirely. "I didn't like it.." He collapsed into new sobs against Julie-Su, appearing to have found comfort in the younger females' embrace.

            A new rumble heralded a second explosion; the situation was interrupted. The Chaotix, save Espio, shared worried and confused glances for a precious second before the rooms' window caught Knuckles' eyes. Smoke billowed in the distance. "Shit, the prison!"

            The Chaotix stayed where they were. None were eager to leave their ailing brother now, not when it seemed his darkest hour had returned to haunt him. After a few seconds, Knuckles gave out orders. "Mighty, Julie, stay with Esp. Vec, with me."

            The Guardian, running out of the room with Vector in tow, spared no glance back.

            Silence, electrified with emotion, reigned for several minutes. Even Espio had gone silent, crying with silent tears. "I didn't want to do it.." The eyes of Mighty, Julie-Su, and even the two conscious Legionairres all turned to stare at the victimized youth. "I didn't want to.. I was such an idiot." A sob could not be restrained. "She said she'd kill me if I just did that for her.. I wanted to die so badly, I believed her.. I really **am** a whore!" He began to wail anew.

            Mighty and Julie-Su exchanged horrified stares. Neither knew how to react.

---------------------------------------------------

            "Goddamnit, they busted all the Legionairres out!" Vector growled as soon as he had seen Mighty and Julie-Su in the hospital lobby nearly half an hour later. "Fucking bitch, **Kragok** got away!"

            "They won't stop hunting him." Mighty spoke so softly, it nearly seemed out of place for the situation. "The Dark Legion won't stop 'til Espio is either dead or recaptured." Eyes widened as he spoke the words; it almost seemed as if the armadillo was only now realizing it, himself.

            A few seconds of disturbing silence passed within the group of teens. The hospital staff buzzed around them, trying to herd patients back in to their hospital room after they ran in confusion. If any of the staff or patients noticed the Guardian and the Chaotix there, none did anything to make it known.

            "But why did they try to kill him?" Came the query from Julie-Su, a frown on her features. "If all they wanted was to make him suffer --"

            "They want us **all** to suffer, Julie." Knuckles interrupted the pink echidnas' train of thought. "I guess that they figured killing Esp would effect us all badly. I mean, how would we have reacted?" They all knew the answer to that; anger, grief, sadness and guilt would have taken them all down before the Dark Legion had to do anything else.

            "Guardian!" An unfamilliar voice penetrated their thoughts. They all turned to stare as a nurse ran up to them. "Guardian, there's something wrong with your friend!"

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            _It was violation, plain and simple, that pained him to the very core. Disgust, completely tainted, yet not only in flesh. His very soul, he felt, had been violated in the hours and days -- could it possibly have been weeks? Years? -- that he had been held captive. Time was meaningless here; he hadn't seen the sun since before his kidnapping. He wanted to die._

_            A warm toungue carressed his lower stomach. ..No, carressed was not the word. That word was too gentle for the mockery of love and kindness that his thurough rape was. Tortured. Yes, tortured was a better word. A cry could not be repressed in reaction; despite futility, he squirmed, tugging at the chains that held his arms above his head and feet to the ground. After all this time, he continued to try and free himself._

_            Fingers, metallic and flesh alike, were in all the wrong places on his body. Sobbing echoed throughout the ruins. He heard begging; was it his own? Yes, it was. He begged for his violator to stop, to leave him alone, to kill him. Metallic claws curled around what it should not have been anywhere near, clutching none too gently, and he cried at each squeeze._

_            Blood, sweat, salivia; it created an aura of pain, disgust and loneliness. His friends, true to the words of his kidnappers, had not arrived to save him. One of his captors, before the others could stop him, had revealed that they could not find him; no blame was upon his friends, anyway._

_            He wanted to flake the vile liquids like the layers of skin his people sometimes shed; yet, he knew that, even had he been able to, it would be renewed through further acts of torture._

_            Suddenly, it did not matter; He was no longer there. Darkness engulfed his senses, blessed unconsciousness. He recalled nothing of the rest of that day._

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            "**Stay away from me!**" The cry could be heard clear down the hallway to Espio's hospital room. Hearing this, the rest of the Chaotix increased their speed to the room; they weren't told exactly what had happened in the twenty minutes their friend was left with hospital staff, only told that something had gone wrong.

            They ran in to chaos. Nurses and a couple of doctors formed a wide semi-circle several feet away from the chameleon youth, too afraid to get close. Espio held a hypodermic needle as if in defense, eyes panicked. For all appearances, the boy appeared to have finally gone insane.

            "Shit, Esp!" Mighty was first to be able to form coherent words, running to the front of the semi-circle. In response, his friend turned to stare at him with a small yelp of fear.

            "What happened here?!" Knuckles demanded of a doctor.

            The doctor, flustured, only shrugged. "We just came in here to bring him to another room. He went nuts after your friends left." 

            Knuckles frowned at this answer, taking a precious second to fully digest the situation. Mighty, taking the same second to try to calm his friend, stood at the edge of the semi-circle. "Esp, please put the needle down." Each word was spoken slowely, emphasizing every word to the fullest.

            "No! They'll hurt me, they'll punish me! There's too many!" Hysteria had obviously overtaken the chameleon youth, as his eyes darted from side to side, even as he backed himself against the wall.

            Vector, with a rare moment of insight, whispered to Knuckles. "I think we gotta get the hospital peeps out of here. They're not helpin' at all."

            The Guardian, surprised for a brief fraction of a second, understood what the crocodile ment. He began to usher the doctors and nurses out of the room as silently as possible. Several doctors and nurses protested, of course; yet, they could not overrule the Guardian's decision to have them leave. It had taken only a few minutes, and it was more than clear that, as the room slowly emptied, Espio began to calm down; his breathing slowed to a more normal pace, if still slightly quick, and the hand holding the hypodermic needle began to lower down. Within several minutes, the Chaotix were alone with their ailing friend.

            An almost disturbing silence reigned for several long seconds. None of those present with a stable mind knew what to say. During the silence, Mighty began to maneuvere closer to Espio, Knuckles breaking the silence with a query. "Espio, what happened?" The tone was gentle, soft, as if speaking to a traumatized child.

            If the pained chameleon noticed either the tone or the armadillos' actions, he gave no sign of it. Even as the aforementioned armadillo slowely removed the hypodermic needle from his grasp, Espio stayed within silence, staring at nothing and everything. The Chaotix shared several emotions before it seemed that sanity finally returned to their friend. "There were too many doctors and nurses.. I panicked.." It almost sounded as if the youth was attempting to hide something from his concerned friend, something deeper and darker than all that had happened thus far. That is, if such a thing were possible.

            "Hey, don't worry about it." Came a soothing tone from the only female present. "And don't appologize. None of this was your fault at all." At this remark, the Chaotix gave her a strange, if confused stare. She wisely ignored them.

            Her assurances, however, couldn't have had a greater impact. Slumping against the wall and down towards the floor, sudden silent tears turned into just as sudden soft sobs that shattered the hearts of the surrounding teens. Julie-Su kneeled on the floor next to the chameleon, being the only one of the group their pained friend allowed any physical contact with, embracing the older teen in a soft hug. Mighty, as well, stayed close, but did not offer any physical support; fear, based on past reactions. Knuckles and Vector continued to stand where they were, unsure in the situation.

            However, they were all offering support and consolation in their own way. For the moment, that was enough.

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            _Three days had passed since Espio had been kidnapped. Not 'missing'; kidnapped. The state of his home, left in near ruin, signalled as much. Panic had all but engulfed his friends on the first day. They had searched the entire island, wherever they could, yet heeded no results._

_            They had called the main Freedom Fighters within Knothole out of desperation. Knuckles had placed the call in himself. By word of Princess Sally Acorn, she had assured him that they would search for the chameleon teen. Knuckles was not aware, however, that the princess had placed calls to several other Freedom Fighter groups about the situation._

_            That was when Prince Charmy Bee of the Golden Hive Colony had called them; fearful, panicked, and angry that he hadn't been called. He had only found out about the situation by the princess. A short argument between prince and guardian had eventually worn out into a heartfelt conversation for them both; worry and fear ruled over their emotions._

_            Time, after that, seemed to slow to an agonizing crawl. After seven days of no word where Espio had been taken, the Chaotix had feared that he may have been dead._

_            "He's **not** dead." Came the rather sudden resolve from Mighty. "He can't be dead. Someone is keeping him from us, but he is **not** dead."_

_            Vector and Knuckles stared at the armadillo with somewhat surprised expressions. Vector was not too surprised by Mighty's resolve and optimism; it wasn't as if they hoped their friend was dead, after all. Knuckles, being who he was, had been forced to consider the possibility, yet never voiced it._

_            "I aint arguing with you, Might-man.." Vector frowned along with the armadillo, a rarity to see on the crocodilian face. "Wish we knew where he is, though."_

_            "That's just the thing!" Mighty suddenly yelled. "We've never had to deal with kidnapping before!" He paused, as the other two Chaotix stared at him. "..Well, okay, we have, but we knew who we were fighting! We knew where to go!" He stopped then, releasing a small sigh. "I'm just worried."_

_            "We all are." Knuckles face clearly expressed the worry and fear he shared with his friends. "For all we know, he could be anywhere, anything could be happening."_

_            "He'll come back." The unspoken factor in the echidnas' tone was immediently rejected by the armadillo. Mighty almost appeared to be angry at the insinuation. "Esp will be back, everything will be normal again, and we'll kick the ass of whoever took him from us." Vector nodded, agreeing with his friends' words._

_            Knuckles sighed, frowning. He neither agreed or disagreed._

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            Mighty frowned at the memory. It had been another week after that conversation that they recieved the printed ransom note; out of all the places in the world that Espio could have been held captive at, it had been right on the island. That had been a terrible blow against both the Chaotix and the Echidna Security Team, believing that they had searched everywhere they could within their territory. It had come as a shock, finding they had neglected the Legionairre ruins, that it had nearly seemed surreal.

            Without conscious thought givin to his direction, the teen found himself at his home. It was really more of a very well decorated cave, within the mountains on the island. It was warm, cozy, and he wondered why Espio's home in the valley wound up being a target. All of the Chaotix had security problems with their homes; every time they had some means of defense, their enemies appeared to show them just how little it truely ment.

            Flopping backwards on to a couch, the sixteen-year-old armadillo couldn't help but give thought to the situation. Espio's home had been attacked far too easilly. After his rescue, there had been the question as to why the other chameleons in Rainbow Valley hadn't heard, seen, or said anything about it. Those who had bore witness or had heard the kidnapping occur had been too afraid; fear had prevented the Chaotix from finding their friend faster. After all, it could have been any of them that had been taken that night.

            Mighty sat up slightly at that thought. It could have been any of them. He dreaded to think what it could have been like within the cell that the ESP had charted after the rescue. According to several shaken officers, there had been blood and bodilly wastes everywhere; the Legionairres hadn't even let the poor teen down to use the bathroom. An involountary shudder went through his body; yet, he could still hardly imagine the pain his friend must have gone through.

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            A low growling echoed throughout the somewhat tropical residence of the crocodilian Chaotix member. It would have been a dangerous sound at any other time and place; as it were, the growl was not directed at any present being.

            Had any of the other Chaotix walked in to the home of Vector Crodocodile, they would have been surprised. The sixteen-year-old was not listening to the headset that he almost never took off, was not watching television as he often did, was not doing any of the things that he was fond of. Instead, reclining on a red velvet couch, Vector was actually reading from a rather thick, hard covered book. Had there been anyone present to see the title, they may have been shocked by the subject matter: The Psychological Effects of Rape and Sodomy.

            For all outward appearances, Vector normally appeared to be an optimist; never taking anything seriously, always dancing to his own rythyms, at times literelly dancing. Inwardly, hidden from his friends and from society, he feared. He wanted, above all else, to protect the friends who became his brothers. After one of these brothers was kidnapped and tortured so brutally, the world twisted.

           The growling that continued to rumble from his throat came in response to the book. According to the text, the Dark Legion had effected the chameleon teen worse than any of the Chaotix could have percieved; Espio would most likely suffer for years to come. Fear of torture and recapture, fear of even gentle touch, fear of sex, possibly even fear of echidnas. Vector was fairly sure that Espio had been a virgin before his captivity.

            "**God damnit!**" The book went flying clear accross the room. Vector began to pace.

            _That fucking bitch Kragok, he deserves for die for what he did, Espy is gonna be suffering for the rest of his life for what that motherfucker did.._

            Thoughts twisted and twirled for a long time afterwards.

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_            "Well?" Folded arms coupled with the tone within the voice of the Guardian of the floating isle made the impatience within all the Chaotix more than obvious. All eyes were staring at the echidna doctor._

_            In response, the medic sighed softly, readjusting a rather small pair of glasses perched atop his muzzle. "If anything, I suppose it could have been worse. The blood loss is significant, but, fortunately, not fatal. His tail is being taken care of by his own body. He'll recover within a months time.." Within a short silence that followed these words, the protectors of Angel Island felt relief. The doctor, with a small frown adorning his face, felt sorry to interrupt it. "..If you mean only the physical damage."_

_            Low growling escaped from Vector. "The hell do you mean?! Espy's gonna be fine, ain't he?"_

_            The doctor sighed again, used to telling unfortunate news to hospital visitors. "Psychological damage from such incidents are very different, but it varies from victim to victim. I couldn't possibly tell you how long it could take for him to recover from sodomy."_

_            Perhaps the Chaotix had felt too confident after their friends' rescue; at the time, they believed all would be well, as it always was. For something to be different from all the other times of havoc and chaos that they survived, in such a debilitating way, they all felt as if their souls had been burned. Vector and Mighty shared an expression of disbelief before the latter made a statement, "Not a lot of things can get to Esp. He should be fine.."_

_            A grim smile passed by the doctors' face; Knuckles could tell that the medic did not want to further harm their optimism. "Perhaps he'll recover soon enough.. But not right now." The doctor looked to his watch. "I'll have to update you all later. For now, he's resting. I imagine you should all do the same."_

_            This time, all the Chaotix shared an incredulous stare. How on Mobius could they possibly rest, knowing Espio's current state? It was obvious that his condition was worse than their previous presumption. Vector grumbled, sitting down on a thinly coushined hospital chair. It was obvious that he had no intent of moving. "This blows."_

_            The doctor appeared sympathetic. "I'm sorry, but I think you all really ought to rest up. It's going to be difficult to talk to him, I imagine.." With that, he left them in their current thoughts._

_            As soon as the doctor was gone from earshot and eyesight, Mighty shook his head and frowned. "This can't be happening." Knuckles gave the armadillo an expression full of thought; he recieved a small, forced smile in response. "C'mon, Knux! You know Esp! He can put up with a lot of stuff!"_

_            "We never imagined this could happen, though." Knuckles pointed out, a scowl across his muzzle._

_            "He's going to be fine." Mighty was firm in his belief, and obviously felt the situation could not turn out otherwise._

_            Vector nodded, agreeing with his friend. "I can't imagine it any other way, Might-man.."_

_            Julie-Su, unusually silent givin the situation, leaned against a wall. She was lost in thought that none of her male counterparts noticed or could forsee. At any rate, she did not share her thoughts._

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Author Notes: Meh. ^^; Sorry about lack of action. I'll try to stick some in next chappy. Oh! Next chap won't be out for at least a week: Going to be off on vacation from the 5th to the 12th or 13th. I'll probably write some on vaca, but no promises; Aruba is too sunny. ^__^

Espio, once again locked in a closet: -__- *incoherent grumblings*

Rest of muses: *cheering!* Yay! She's not torturing the rest of us! :D :D :D

Author: ^^; Hee.. Viva la feedback!


	5. Chapter Five: Sorry about the wait

Author's notes: Wheehah! Sorry chap 5 took so long, folx; between the vacation to Aruba that I got nearly NO writing done at, summer school, and a recent Neopets art competition win (Portschoolcup, BTW), I've been a biiiit busy.. But I got it done! :D

Enjoy!

Legal Notes: Don't own then. The Chaotix are very happy for this fact. :P

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**Captive Part Five**

_I feel I've come to realize_

_How fast life can be compromised_

_Step back to see what's going on_

_I can't believe this happened to you.._

--'The Hell Song', Sum41

            Walking along the streets of the near-silent Echidnopolis, Mighty began to wonder if he should simply start sleeping during the day. With all that had been happening as of late, sleep only now came out of pure exhaustion; usually in the afternoon hours. It had been four days since the Dark Legion had attacked the hospital; it did not assure him that his still-hospitilized friend did not improve in his recovery. On the contrary, Espio's psychological well being appeared to worsen.

            Mighty sighed at internal thoughts. Espio had been moved to another hospital room in security, and had refused to leave that room since. Not surprisingly, at least according to several doctors, the chameleon teen had begun to eat more than usual; his weight was nearly back to the state it was before his kidnapping.

            Passing by a small internet cafe on the way to the hospital for yet another four-in-the-morning visit, the teen paused. The cafe, unorigonally titled 'Windows', had a very large window for passerbys to view the interior. Peering through said paneglass window, Mighty blinked in surprise; sitting at a computer, playing one of the 'shoot the monsters' games that he never really enjoyed, was none other than Vector Crocodile. Wondering why the crocodile was awake at such an early hour, Mighty made his way inside.

            Vector, for his part, had been completely oblivious to his friends' arrival. Tapping furiously at keys with one hand and moving the mouse with the other, he almost seemed to plead with the game as he played. "Come on, come on.. Move to the left, ya stupid little.. Ooh! Red icon!"

            Unable to hide his amusement, Mighty tapped at the other teens' shoulder. "Vec?"

            As if on cue, a 'Level Complete' logo appeared on the screen. Satisfied that conversation would no longer impede on his gameplay, Vector turned to face Mighty as a 'Continue?' countdown played on the screen. "Might-man! Didn't know ya liked places like this!"

            Mighty shrugged lightly in reply. "Usually, I don't. Can't get half of these games, anyway." Despite his words, he did glance at a 'Dance Dance Rebellion REDUX' system. "However, **that** game I enjoy." With a small smile that could not be helped, he looked back to the taller teen. "Anyway, what are you doing up so late, er, early?"

            A frown crossed Vector's face. "Couldn't sleep, man. You know, th' whole thing with Espy an'.." The crocodile, noticing that his words and mood had started to bring a frown to his friends' face, forced a smile. "Lucky that this place is open twentyfour-seven, ya know?"

            An expression of thought came to Mightys' face. "Hey, Vec, I was on my way to visit Esp, anyway. Wanna come with?"

            No words were needed after the query. Without so much as looking back at the game he had been vigorously playing only a few minutes prior, Vector left the internet cafe.

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            Security to Saint Angel Hospital had been stepped up since the Legion attack. Both Chaotix members had to go through a DNA matchup before being allowed in; however, with their level of technology, it had only taken several minutes. Security guards were stationed everywhere; both teens found it all rather disturbing.

            Espio had been moved to the fourth floor, yet neither visiting teen had opted to use the elevator. Two heavilly armed guards stood by the door to the hospital room; as Mighty got the impression that no chances were being taken, he stared at the guards with wide eyes. Despite the tense air that the tight security gave to the situation, all had seemed peacefull.

            Of course, outside appearances almost never match that of the inner. That had become clear once both visitng teens were allowed in to the hospital room. A small amount of blood, along with a thin blade held in one gloved hand, sent an explosion of chaos through two minds.

            "Holy shit!" Came the cry from Vector as both he and Mighty rushed forward. The crocodile quickly grabbed the blade from the seemingly confused chameleon, as the armadillo wrapped bedsheets around the bleeding wrists.

            "What the hell, Esp!" Unintentionally, Mighty had raised his voice in his shock. In a reaction that Mighty and Vector immediently found disturbing, Espio shrank against the bed. Inwardly chastising himself, Mighty tried to salvage the situation. With a softer tone, "Esp, what happened?"

            The expression that flashed along Vector's face showed that the crocodile wanted to say exactly what was on his mind. Fortunitally, the teen had more sense than that, and maintained silence.

            It appeared that Lady Luck was on their side; the slit on the chameleon's wrist had not been deep. The blood had been easy to stop. However, it also revealed several other healed cuts along his arm; each one told of pain that both knew they could not truely fanthom.

            The undisguised shock on armadillian and crocodilian faces seem to prompt Espio into speech. "I just wanted to forget."

            "Forget?!" Vector gasped out before he could stop himself. "By how?! By killin' yerself!?"

            "You don't understand." Came a soft, defensive response. "You don't understand what it's like. I keep feeling hands all over my body, hearing the words, feeling the pain.." His voice quivered, and a deep breath tried to bring control. However, it did not work, and the teen burst in to new tears.

            Silence, overshadowed by sobs, filled the air with emotion. After a few seconds of shock, Mighty was first to speak. "Esp, you know that -- " He was unable to complete the sentence.

            The second shock of the night chose that moment to present itself in the form of an explosion. The far wall that seperated the hospital room from the outside world blew apart in a symphony of fire and sound; the force from the blast sent the three teens through the air.

            Mighty landed with the least of fortune; despite his stregnth, he was still unable to properly recover after his skull made contact with a fire extinguisher. Consciousness remained, but barely just. However, Espio and Vector landed along the tile floor without major injury.

            "Mighty!" Espio had been first to notice the armadillo's predicament; he rushed to his friends' side. "Mighty! Wake up!" Barely conscious eyes focused on his own. A hand was held in front of the armadillos' face. "How many fingers am I holding up?!"

            Suddenly, it seemed, Vector stood in front of the downed pair. Sounds from beyond the flames caused by the explosion made themselves known to the chameleon; mechanical whirring, hovering, akin to flying vehicles..

            With a gasp, Espio turned towards the now missing wall. Outside of the fourth floor, dark, circular vehicles with robed passengers slowly made their way within. A chaotic panic of swears overlaid by intense fear became the chameleon's reaction to the new Legion attack. Unanswerable questions flashed amidst panic; with his kinds' natural reaction to blend in to their surroundings combined with his personal reaction to the Legion caused his flesh to change shades and colors rapidly.

            Vector, finding himself the only Chaotix member able to fight, decided that he had to atleast try to protect his friends; he did not know how long it would take for Knuckles to get there. At that moment, he even wanted Julie-Su to be there to help.

            Before any further thoughts or assessments could be made, a dozen Legionairres had their weapons pointed at the trio. It had then occured to Vector that, had he and Mighty not decided to visit when they did, Espio would be facing this on his own.

            Legionairres began to close in. Espio had allready begun to hyperventalate in his fear. Mighty had fallen completely unconscious. Vector had no idea what he could do.

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            Due to the location of the attack, the Guardian of the floating island had not been awoken by the explosions it caused. A shrill ringing at five in the morning, twenty minutes after the attack, was what awoke Knuckles the echidna; he hit his alarm clock twice before realizing it had been the phone. "Hello?" A voice hoarse from sleep was all he could react with, even as he rubbed sleep from his eyes.

            *"Get your ass to the city **now**!"* Julie-Su's voice rang shrill in his ear, slightly static from cell phone use. Knuckles had to actually pull the phone away, lest he became deaf.

            "Why? What ha -- "

            *"**The Dark Legion attacked the hospital!**"*

            Knuckles found that sleep was easy to wash away after that.

----------------------------------------------------

            Once, Knuckles had timed how long it would normally take for him to reach Echidnopolis from his home. He always wanted to be prepared, always wanted to be able to protect the civilians within the city, and, even if he would never admit it aloud, always wanted to make his parents proud. At the time, he had been pleased with the twelve minute record. However, now all he could feel was anger and frustration at his inability to be faster; for the first time in his life, he wished for Sonic's speed.

            It did not matter that the attack was over and done with; the Dark Legion had attacked only the hospital, and, even then, only a single room on the fourth floor. None but the protectors of the island and very little of the hospital staff knew the significance of that one room.

            Being told that, due to the early hour, there had not been a single eye witness to tell which direction the Legion had gone after they had kidnapped the rooms' occupier, anger only rose within the Guardian. An entire city, an entire **island**, and there had not been **one** person who had seen where his friend had been taken!?

            Julie-Su called his name. Quickly making his war towards the grim pink echidna with a query of his own, all he was shown in response was the visitor record. After a quick lookover followed by a doubletake to be sure of what he was reading, fear exploded within his heart. Vector and Mighty had both been within the room during the time of the attack.

            Yet, now, there was no trace of either.

            After several minutes, Knuckles all but fell back against a hospital chair. Julie-Su sat at his side almost immediently, placing a hand on the stressed Guardian's shoulder. The troubled expression on Knuckles' face only added a strange sort of surprise at a sudden statement. "They didn't attack the prison."

            Julie-Su, for her part, paused. She was not quite certain how to respond. "No. No, they didn't."

            "Why?" Despite the situation, the query was spoken softly. Yet, the meaning was clear. "Something isn't right." When he recieved no response from his companion, he turned to look directly in to her eyes. Realization struck. "You know something."

            Julie-Su released a deep sigh; a simple sound that told of hidden knowlege she no longer wished to keep to herself. "He was always this way." Before Knuckles could ask who her statement was in reference to, she clarified in her own way. "Oh, don't even ask, Knux. Who do you think?" Frustration lined her words with clarity. "My half brother." Pure disdain. "When I was little, about five or six, it was no real secret that Kragok was a lustfull creep. It was pure luck for the rest of the Legion that Lien-Da was a willing partner, so neither really went after anyone else."

            Knuckles blanched dramatically; the fact that Kragok and Lien-Da had a dark incestuous relationship somehow made the entire situation all the more horrible.

            "Of course, it also goes without saying that protection was never used." Julie-Su continued with the tale, taking notice of Knuckles' reaction, yet knowing she had to keep going. "Lien-Da got pregnant. I guess that's when Kragok decided that girls were too risky and started going after boys." At another unspoken query, she smiled softly. "No. Don't worry. I guess even he was loathe to go after a six year old." She took a deep breath to steady her voice before she continued the tale. "The Legionairres in the prison are only a few of Kragok's unwilling vistims. They did not act on their own, but they didn't attack under any higher order either."

            Silence passed between the two. Knuckles leaned against the back of the chair as the information digested. "Is it possible that they were lying about Lien-Da's pregnancy with Espio's kid, then?"

            "Oh, no, they were defenitally telling the truth about that." A deep frown crossed Julie-Su's face. It almost seemed as if she continued to search for the correct words to express what wound around her mind. After several seconds of silence, she found it. "Kragok is horribly obsessive. Anything he ever wanted, he did whatever it took to get."

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            The brief seconds between the return of conscious and the return of recollection are normally spent in quiet bliss for the average individual. It was no different for Mighty Armadillo; he stirred, but otherwise enjoyed the bliss. With the soft comfort of his bed underneath the front of his body, he felt no real need to awaken.

            He heard sobbing and whispering from the edge of reality. It brought around several lazy queries; Who was crying? Why were they crying? What happened? Recollection threatened to return. With the threat of recollection came the return of physical feel.

            Pain. Why was he in pain? A sharp stinging from the top of his skull, as well as a second pain he could not truly percieve nor understood, were the bases of this new understanding. The crust of sleep flaked away as his eyes opened; the first thing the armadillo witnessed were two chained Chaotix. Wrists chained to wall with metal cuffs and links, but the pair were kneeled upon the ground. A crying chameleon and wide-eyed crocodile stared at him with sudden silence.

            "Ugh.." Mighty blinked his eyes several times to further flake the sleep away. For the most part, he was successfull. "You guys all right?"

            "Yeah, man.." The expression that played accross Vector's face was undecipherable, yet was disturbing in a way Mighty did not understand. "Yeah, we're okay.."

            Mighty tried to lift himself from the bed, only to notice that he, too, was chained; fists encased in a thick manacle linked to a pole at the beds' headboard. His feet were much the same, yet seperated, wide apart, to two bedposts. The pain, still unable to be understood, became frightning as recollection finally returned.

            The position of his body and the symbolic significance of the bed made sudden, horrifying sense. Obsceneties passed through his mind and escaped from his mouth. A tug at the chains proved the metal stronger than his body. With a frightened stare at his two friends, he made a query that he felt he needed to know. "What happened!?"

            A strained silence was all he recieved in response for several seconds. Espio cried silently, and it was painfully obvious that the chameleon was in no condition to speak of what was happening. Vector, blanched several shades, stuttered uncharacteristically. "T..The Legion attacked the hospital."

            "Well, I know **that**, Vec!" The frustration that the situation brought to the armadillo reciprocated as anger. "I mean.. Damn.." What made sense logically could not be approached emotionally. "Did.. Did something **happen** while I was knocked out?"

            The silence that followed was answer enough. The pain within Mighty's body was now part of his mind. Yet, he did not know how to react; how **does** one react when ones' body was ravaged while unconscious? Silence followed for several minutes more; eventually, it was broken by the emotionally scarred armadillo. "We'll get out of here." It was not clear who he was trying to convince; his two friends or himself. "Knux will find us."

            There was no answer to this assessment. It was fair enough; Mighty hadn't been expecting one.

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            When seemingly impossible situations had came to pass in the past, Knuckles had always been able to get through them. Each and every time, victory would present itself, even when all seemed lost. At times, desperation would be so thick, that he was tempted to call for reinforcements that he personally believed he had no right to call. After Espio had been kidnapped that first time, he eventually gave in, and called upon a lesser taboo; he had called Princess Sally for assistance. Now, however, with three of his friends captured by an enemy that had recently become wholly terrible in their actions and with no idea where they were being held, he once again gave in to the desperation. This time, he called upon what he once promised himself he never would, what he swore should be beyond his aid.

            Knuckles, Guardian of Angel Island, called his father.

            Unsurprisingly, the former Guardian was within the so-called secret base known as Haven. So-called if only because, at that point, quite a number of people knew it's location. Locke, who was amazingly clueless givin the situation, answered the videophone call with clear surprise. At least, untill the current Guardian, shaken as he was, told of the situation in as much detail as he knew. It came as something of a shock for Knuckles when his father offered complete assistance, including a promise to forward the tale to the other residents of Haven.

            After that call had wound to a close, Knuckles had decided that, givin that the greatest of all contact taboos had been broken, there was no clear reason not to break the rest. He gave a call to Princess Sally once again.

            The princess, who knew that the chameleon Chaotix member had been found only a short while before, became quite shocked when she was told that the Dark Legion had been behind it and had attacked again. However, the true details were still lost to her, and Knuckles was not entirely certain that she should know them. After all, they had been frightening enough to EST officers who did not even know the Chaotix personally.

            "Princess, please take my word for it. You don't want to know what they did to him. Just, please, call other Freedom Fighters; i'm certain they're not on the island this time." His voice was steady, betraying none of what he truely felt.

            *"Knuckles.."* It almost sounded as if Sally wasn't certain how to translate her feelings to words. *"I know that something happened, something that's torturing you inside."* How had she known? *"I can't stand seeing you like this.."*

            A deep breath came to pass, as Knuckles tried to maintain control. He was not aware that his emotions had gotten so beyond his control. Of course, he mused, Sally knew him better than most. "Let's just say, Princess, that the Dark Legion are to be avoided at all costs. Far more than they have been in the past."

            No further terms of explenation were used, and it came as a surprise to Knuckles when the princess did not ask for any others. He hadn't known, at the time, that she had managed to figure it out on her own.

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            The electronic door slid within the wall with a quiet hiss that Vector had nearly missed. It had been quite some time, though it was impossible to tell how much had elapsed, since Mighty had woken up; since the realization struck the armadillo, he had been disturbingly silent. However, Vector did not find the silence surprising.

            The figure that stood in the clear open doorway maintained horribly familiarity, the last person any of the chained trio wanted to see; Kragok. Surprisingly, the Dark Legion commander appeared utterly surprised. Granted, he appeared pleased, yet stared at the three with widened eyes. "Well, **this** is a surprise." A wide grin spread accross the echidnas' face, as he took two steps in to the rather large room. The door slid shut behind him. "I wasn't aware that **three** had been captured."

            Vector began to growl in response. It was then that he realised why the room they were being held in was so large; Espio chained in one corner, Mighty strapped to the bed, and himself within another corner. The trio could not make physical contact with each other; protection was an impossibility.

            A raised eyebrow from their captor was all Vector recieved for the growl. Silence passed over for a few short seconds, as Kragok appeared to take in his presence in a new light. A dark chuckle broke the silence. "You, out of all people, should feel secure. I doubt any of my men will touch you." It was as much of an assurance as it was an insult. "Your friends, however.." A half cybernetic glance came to stand upon an utterly terrified chameleon.

            "Don't you dare!" The cry of outrage wasn't wholly unexpected by the Legionairre; however, it was **who** had yelled defience was what caused Kragok to pause and stare. He was not alone, as Espio and Vector stared as well. Mighty glared at Kragok with nothing short of pure hatred; any fear the armadillo may have felt was masked.

            A twinge of amusement lit Kragok's features. He made no move to chastise or punish; on the contrary, he smiled. "Oh, you'll get your turn, soon enough." Turning back towards the still terrified chameleon, Kragok did not miss a new shine of fear that Mighty could not mask. Casual steps were made towards the chained chameleon in the corner, even as the new focus of the darkness tried to edge within the wall. "Now.." A pause, a dark chuckle. "Let's remove that tail of yours, shall we?"

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            The call to Charmy couldn't have gone worse. It had started out well enough; the bee prince had been in shock for a short while upon hearing that three of his closest friends had been captured by the Dark Legion. From there, after Charmy had smiled politely and responded with assurances and beliefs that the Chaotix could handle anything that could be dished out, Knuckles had felt compelled to tell the former Chaotix member the truth about the situation.

            A shock so deep that even Knuckles was surprised to find came into clear visibility once the saddened words were spoken. From there, it went badly; cries of diesbelief and denial warped into accusations. How could this have happened? Why hadn't he been told? Why wasn't Knuckles able to protect and save?

            Unlike the last conversation the Guardian and Prince shared, it did not change into the heartfelt assurances that Knuckles desperately needed; instead, in a fit of anger and sadness, Charmy had ended the conversation abruptly, hanging up.

            It troubled Knuckles for hours afterwards.

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            Normally, Princess Sally kept situations of clear danger secret. Normally, with troubling situations, she didn't want to alarm her fellow Freedom Fighters. Normally, vague hints were simply dropped; where, when, how, what has to be done. However, the situation was far from normal. So, she did the first thing she knew to do, did what her heart and mind both agreed on.

            She told Sonic the Hedgehog all that she knew and believed of the situation. Sonic, strangely, seemed more worried about Mighty in captivity than what she believed happened to Espio. Of course, she had no truth to base her beliefs on, and had been reassured by the hedgehog that nothing like that could have happened. Still, something within the princess told her that he was wrong, and that the situation could only worsen.

            Without telling Sonic the deep worries she had, they parted ways. She went to one of the communcation standposts, and had done the same actions that she had done after Knuckles called her those weeks ago. 

            The word that the Dark Legion had kidnapped three Freedom Fighters from Angel Island had gone out to every Freedom Fighter group on the planet; terrifying details kept to herself, of course. If they were anywhere on Mobius, Sally mused, they would be found.

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            True to the words of the commander of the Dark Legion, Vector continued to remain untouched. Physically, he was unharmed; emotionally, however, it was an entirely other story.

            They were still chained, still shackled. Kragok had came, had done what he pleased, and had left. Espio sat on the floor, surrounded by his own blood and liquids that they all wished weren't there. The remains of his tail had spasmed for quite a while after it had been cut off, drenched in it's own puddle of blood too far out of their reach. Mighty was where he had been since he awoke the first time. Only, now, his pupils were dialated nearly to the point of nonexistance, his breath was raspy, releasing no sound save for the disturbing silence that came with pure shock. Blood covered his form, as well. Espio, tragically used to such abuse, had stayed sober where Mighty did not.

            Before that time, Vector had always been fond of the color red; he never went to the extreme with it, but had decorated quite a bit of his home with the shade. Now, he wished never to see the color again. He also feared. Oh, how he feared; fear for his two friends, fear that they would always be there now with no rescue, fear of death despite it all, and, feeling selfish for even thinking it, feared for himself.

            For the first time in his existance, Vector Crocodile prayed to whatever diety was in existance for deliverence.

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Author's notes: ..Oooh. Bwaha. :D Now Mighty and Vector are locked in their own closets.. And, now, for a bit of 'respond to the reviews' bit! ^^ For ff.net AND mediaminer, tho..

H.M.Slayne: ..Origonal like a shmoo? I don't know what a 'shmoo' is, but thanks! ;) Hehe.

Aero Echidna and Kalligrapha: You want sick and twisted? You havn't SEEN sick and twisted yet! :D *Espio, Mighty, Vector: o_O;;;*

Tsunami Wave: Torture someone else, eh? *points up* Fair enough? ^^

..And there were no mediaminer reviews to respond to. Ah, well.

Viva la feedback, everyone! ^^ I love to hear suggestions and stuff!


	6. Chapter Six Stupid writers block

Authors' notes: ..And, damn, but that took longer than it should have. o_O; And it's SHORTER than the other chapters too! AUGH! ..I blame reality for writers' block and a random summer flu for putting me behind in my writing. ^^; Anyway, sorry for the shorter-than-usual chapter.. I promise to make it up to you next chapter. I have plans. Oooh, yes, lots of EBIL plans..

Legalities: Don't own any of these people except for the briefly mentioned Calli-Ku. But she doesn't do anything here, anyway, so.. Eh. ^^;

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**Captive Part Six**

_So you sit there, stuck, afraid to risk reality_

_Afraid to cause yourself more pain, to risk insanity_

_But nothing ventured, nothing gained_

_You see, your fear's your cage_

_You beg for help, but you're alone, stuck in a helpless rage_

-- 'Do You Call My Name', RA

            Vector had been right, came the saddened muse. The media **did** hound them.

            A single week had passed since the Dark Legion had attacked Saint Angel Hospital and kidnapped three of the islands' protectors. Seven miserable days. Such a situation, however, could not be ignored by the media; the search had been making front page news since.

            "*..In an update on our top story," Came a 'Top Bulletin' from a news station, "Chancellor Calli-Ku released this statement regarding the attack and kidnapping that occurred one week ago.*" The image on the television changed from that of the newscaster to that of a richly garbed woman surrounded by cameras and reporters. "*I assure you all that the Echidna Security Agency has been doing all that they can, and will continue in their efforts. We will do whatever it takes to find and rescue those three brave boys. The Dark Legion will not keep out heroes away from us!*"

            A ghost of a smile threatened to spread across Knuckles' face. It had been true; the EST had been very helpful. The entire island had been searched and researched since the incident, and every single person who was near the hospital at the time had been questioned in order to obtain more information. A great many people cared, and it pleasantly surprised the Guardian.

            Yet, depression still took hold of the young echidna's heart and mind. Nothing would make him completely happy again, he believed, until he saw his friends again, until his friends were safe.

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            When the Chaotix had first formed their group and swore to protect the Floating Island, Knuckles had passed words to the new group that he claimed his father had passed to him. "A day, an hour, a minute.. Time can mean everything when your duty is to protect. A short amount of time could be an eternity, and any single second could change a life for eternity." At the time, Vector hadn't understood what it had meant. He had fought the only way he knew how. All the Chaotix had, really.

            However, now he knew all too well. He knew with cruel certainty what can happen in a short amount of time to change a person. He knew how time never seemed to last long enough or to go faster when a person desired them most. The state of two of the people he cared about most was proof enough of that.

            He also knew now that there is a difference between to break and to fold. Kragok had obviously intended to break them all, to crush their spirits so thoroughly, that they would never be a threat again. Vector had seemed to be the only one to realize it, but the Legionnaire Commander had not succeeded. Not completely, at any rate.

            Espio, despite having had suffered for far longer than his friends, had **not** been broken. Instead, he had folded, had adapted; he maintained spirit and sanity. Vector hated to see it, hated to admit it, but it seemed that the chameleon teen had **accepted** the situation and was merely doing that it took to keep his friends alive. More than once, he had given himself so that the other imprisoned Chaotix would not be assaulted at that time.

            Mighty, despite his strength, despite his earlier optimism, had not been able to recover properly from the first night. He still offered meager resistance, the only sign that he was yet to break, but had otherwise been assaulted both in the physical realm and by severe depression. On the fourth day of their captivity, only able to be told by the lights being turned off at night, several Legionnaires had dragged the armadillo to another room; neither Espio nor Vector heard from him until he was returned the following day. Whatever had happened to the teen had been so completely terrible, that he thereafter had been prone to hysteria. Seemingly random bouts of hysterical screaming and crying disturbed Vector terribly; yet, at most times, Mighty was sane. The crocodilian teen didn't know what to make of it.

            This was not to say that Vector had been completely unharmed. Legionnaires had beaten and tortured the crocodile; they simply did not rape the youth. The absolute incompatibility of the two species was all that saved Vector from what the Legionnaires so cruelly enjoyed; he understood that, but did not obtain any joy from it. Pain and torture he could handle; it was the agony that his brothers' were now going through that he suffered most from.

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            For Julie-Su, the media were simply a nuisance. A very annoying aspect of society she would rather do without. As it stood, they constantly harassed her for one reason or another. Granted, the latest reason for their harassment was a sad one, was one that replaced the scorned looks strangers gave her with pity and respect.

            Nonetheless, despite it all, reporters were still annoying.

            Trying to get anywhere in Echidnopolis was a trial within itself; they constantly surrounded her with cameras, microphones, and questions. She wished they would go away so she could get what she needed to get done.

            "Miss Julie, have you had any new news on where your friends might be?"

            "Miss Julie, an interview for the Daily Scope! Please!"

            "Can you give us a few minutes of your time, Miss Julie?"

            She took a second to give them the darkest glare she could acquire. It became silent with a suddenness that brought a tiny grin to the pink echidna's face. Several reporters actually backed away. However, it is said that a fool is born every minute, and one was bound to work with a news station.

            "Miss Julie! Is it true that you and the Guardian are dating?"

            The reporter went down with a single well placed punch to his face. Julie fumed for a moment, rubbing her fist. As she turned to walk away, there were fewer reporters following her than there had been previously.

            "Moron." Came a final comment by the cameraman following the reporter on the ground. "Never could keep his mouth shut."

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            Kragok had returned briefly, amidst internal chaotic panic within his three captives. The Legionnaire Commander hadn't spoken, had only grinned, as he nearly dragged a fearful Espio out of the room and away from his friends. Neither Vector nor Mighty had made any sounds until then; both had shouted denials and cries of protest. Within their imprisonment, all they had were each other; to be separated now was torture in a terrible new form.

            No words were left to the two Chaotix still within the room. However, the Commander left words to several Legionnaires who had flanked him. Not instructions, not orders; a simple statement that he no longer cared weather their other two captives lived or died from their cruel treatment. This seemed to give the Legionnaires who delighted in their pain incentive to increase their cruelty. However, with Espio now gone and the continued incompatibility with Vector's body, all their ministrations were left upon Mighty.

            That was when the screaming began anew. 

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            Walking through the hallways of Haven, Locke was, for the first time he could recall, alone. His elder relatives were elsewhere in the complex, doing whatever tasks it was that they did at this time. It didn't concern him either way; he needed some time to get his thoughts in order.

            When Knuckles had called several hours before with what he knew, Locke had pretended to be surprised by the youngest Guardian's knowledge. In truth, he had known a great deal about what had happened to his sons' friend; with his own station and location, he had not only been able to find a great deal of information from Constable Remington, but had been able to keep a vigil on the young chameleons' hospital stay as well. Locke would never admit it to the other residents of Haven, but he cared a great deal about his sons' friends. After all, they were what brought joy to Knuckles' life.

            How could this have happened? With a watchful eye all across the island, it nearly seemed ludicrous; the Brotherhood were there to protect, and they had failed. Then, it had happened **again**; the Legion had attacked and had not only kidnapped that same poor boy, but two of the other Chaotix as well. It seemed strange that they had attacked that single room, and no where else.

            That was when a thought occurred to Locke that had not occurred to him before.

            How had the Dark Legion known what room the youth was in?

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Author notes: ..Veeery sorry for the shortness. *cough* As previously stated, will make it up next chap. Yeah.. Uhm.. Bye! Viva la feedback!

Responds to reviews:

Fanfiction.net:

'Mee': ..Okay, I don't even understand what your review said. Learn to spell, please..

'Foul Mouth': I enjoy praise as much as the next person, but try to figure out why I deleted your review. Use common sense, please.

Dr. Sipp: Why, yes, I AM evil. Thank you! :D

Dark Elf/Kitty Romanova: *Cough* Uhm, I don't think that's going to happen. I just don't see it as being possible in this fic. ^^; I hope you still enjoy my writings, though!

'Neon Light' and Tsunami Wave1: You're both giving my muses very odd and very evil ideas. ^_^;

H.M. Slayne: I'm still surprised that you managed to compare Vector to a rock! *laughs* But, please, don't explode. I enjoy your feedback. ^_-

..Still no Mediaminer reviews to respond to. Bleah.


	7. Chapter Seven: Love it or hate it

Author's notes: And.. Bwah. This didn't quite turn out as well as I hoped it would.. Ah well.. Next chappy is definitely gonna be a big order of chaos. ^^ Interpret that how you will. :) At any rate, sorry it took so long. Star Wars Galaxies devoured my soul. o_O; That game is addicting.. Bwaha.. Oh, and, yes, I kinda stopped uploading on Mediaminer. The chapters kept on deleting themselves. o_O;

People will either hate me with a passion, or continue to like me for whatever reason that you people like me. Eh.. Enjoy. ^^;

Special thanks to Aulba Aulbath for her continued help on these chapters, and to my sister for suggesting the starting song. ^^;

Legal Notes: Don't own any of 'em, save for a briefly mentioned Donna-Ka. I need to think up better names.. *boggle*

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**Chapter Seven**

_Something takes a part of me_

_Something lost and never seen_

_Every time I start to believe_

_Something's raped and taken from me.. From me.._

_Life's got to always be messing with me_

_Can't they chill and let me be free?_

_Can't I take away all this pain?_

_I try to every night, all in vain.. All in vain.._

--Korn, 'Freak On A Leash'

            The grainy soil that sloped the sides of a small hill was rarely disturbed. The series of hills that marked the present terrain were quite a distance from civilization and were very rarely used for travel. Yet, now, a single being made his way along the forests that coated the landscape.

            Hilled terrain was something of an abnormality for the continent of Downunda; most of the country was composed of flatlands, save for a single large crater near the eastern shore. However, it was the simple reason that most of the lands' people stayed away from these trees that this particular person found himself there.

            Uninhabited forests were a natural breeding ground for illegal activity, Wombat Stu mused to himself with content boredom.

            The young Freedom Fighter, recently inducted into King Acorns' Secret Service, had returned to his homeland for a brief visit. A week, nothing more. A visit to his friends. However, when a few young joeys claimed they saw several strange, armed people while they had been playing, Stu could not pass up the chance. 'Old-time patrol', he called it.

            He had crossed two of the unusually steep hills, and was ready to return back, when the natural sounds of the forest ceased. The sudden silence, a clear warning to the experienced Freedom Fighter, gave cause for the young wombat to quickly hide his small form behind the wide trunk of a tree. However, he hadn't been expecting danger to arrive from the direction he himself had come.

            Laser fire missed Stu's skull by mere inches. A precious second was wasted in shock, his mind taking in the three new arrivals. Their species were undecipherable due to black robes the three wore. Shock wore to clarity, and legs moved to run.

            Inwardly, Stu cursed at his own stupidity. He hadn't seen any sign of danger in his immediate surroundings, so he had assumed the danger was ahead. An incorrect assumption and a terrible mistake. He knew he should have been more careful than that.

            Stu was small even by his own peoples' standards, and his smaller stature made for greater agility and speed. He may have been able to escape at his pace, had a single lucky shot from one of his pursuers hadn't hit the back of his thigh. The pain of flesh burned by laser actually caused him to collapse.

            He hardly had time to glance behind him before the three were upon him.

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            Lara-Le had been all but drowned in worry. The mother of the current Guardian had begun to worry quite a time before, but had only then realized her own emotions as she stared at her son quietly eat his dinner. Even then, depression was clear upon the boy.

            Six full weeks to the day had passed since his friends were kidnapped. Six miserable weeks for her poor son, who fell further and further down the rabbit hole of depression and anxiety. Knuckles continued to watch over the island with help from Julie-Su and the EST, but it was clear to any who saw him just how his emotions waged.

            It wasn't as though Lara-Le didn't care about the state of the kidnapped Chaotix; in actuality, she couldn't keep the thoughts away from her mind. She prayed for their safe return each and every day, worried about them as any mother would over her Childs' closest friends.

            Knuckles quietly finished his meal, cleaned up after himself, and made his way to leave. Lara-Le's husband, Wynmacher, called out to the teen in an effort to have him stay longer. However, with a disturbingly blank expression and a quiet shake of his head, Knuckles practically fled from the apartment.

            Lara-Le continued to worry.

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            _The maiden stood, transfixed by what lay before her. Horror paralyzed her, an unspeakable numb that crept along her body. Thankfully, or perhaps not so, the four that warped her mind did not notice her existence. At least, not for that moment._

_            Three of the quartet wore black robes, a species she could not identify. The fourth was a small figure, a youth she was familiar with, a close friend by combat and companionship. The first held, the second tortured, the third watched. The fourth screamed. The torturer held what appeared to be a tree branch. It was terribly obvious what was happening, yet the maiden could not find it within herself to move._

_            That was when a dandelion-hued face streaked by tears lifted in a cry, only to stare at her own. Pained sapphire eyes met shocked brown, before the sky recognized the earth._

_            "BARBY!!"_

_            Her name, transformed in to a wail for help, caught the attention of the watcher and the holder. Both turned to stare in surprise, before they gave chase._

_            She could not fight two armed fighters, unarmed as she was. However, a deity must have heard her silent prayer, for two close friends happened to come upon the scene. A shocked obscenity became a cry, as a fighter and a pacifist became part of the battle._

_            "Bill! Guru!" She called to them both, her own plea for assistance._

_            The watcher and holder were able to be handled individually by the fighter and the maiden. The pacifist, too shocked to react for a brief moment, was only shaken into action by a newfound cry from the youth. With movement that surprised even those who knew him, the pacifist was suddenly not, and attacked the torturer with a fury never before seen._

_           With the torturer away from the tortured, the dandelion-hued youth curled into a fetal position. Crimson, amongst other shades, marked his frame, yet the cries did not relent._

_            The robed trio could not be restrained by the three Freedom Fighters. Despite chase by the fighter and the pacifist-that-was-not, they escaped within the forest. The maiden, while awaiting their hopeful return, rushed to the youths' side. Worry, fear, and horror clutched her heart._

_           The youth could not speak, could not move, could only cry. Cruel crimson liquid all but buried his form, and soon coated the maiden in her attempt to comfort. She released a sob of her own, her mind finally taking grasp of what had just occurred._

_            "Oh, Stu.." The maiden murmured, as the fighter and pacifist returned._

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            The call from Downunda came as a complete surprise to Princess Sally Acorn. There had only been the occasional friendly call since the remains of the metal monstrosity known as Crocbot has been removed several months before. Danger was the farthest concept from the princess's mind. Yet, her notions changed once she saw the expression on Walt Wallaby's face.

            Grief. Anger. Confusion. Sorrow. Sally could discern these emotions from the video screen image alone. Something had to have been seriously wrong. "Walt? What happened?"

            The leader of the Downunda Freedom Fighters appeared as if he were about to cry at any moment. He released a long sigh, a steady breath for his own emotions. "Stu came 'cross a group of bloody strange people in black robes a couple hours 'go.."

            Sally's eyes widened in shock. The Dark Legion? There hadn't been any word of where they may have been hiding in the month and a half of planet-wide search. A soft sob from the wallaby was all that informed Sally that there was far more to the tale than simply 'coming across' the Legionnaires. "Walt?"

            "They **killed **'im!" Walt was slowly breaking apart before her eyes. "Barby, Bill an' Guru found those blokes torturin' 'im, Princess! Stu died before he even **got** to th' bloody hospital!"

            A cry and a thud from behind the stunned princess was all that alerted the pair that there had been an eavesdropper to the entire conversation. Sally turned, only to gasp, as Hershey Cat sat upon the ground in shock.

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            The Guardian of Angel Island had retreated within his own home for a brief few minutes when a familiar sound a smell met his senses. The decorative smoke for the new arrivals' teleportation brought the eyes of the Guardian to the smaller form. "Archemedes?"

            The fire ant, for his part, was smiling. Knuckles couldn't understand why for a brief moment, until his teacher/friend spoke. "Princess Sally just called Haven. The Dark Legion have been found!"

            For the first time in a month and a half, the Guardian smiled.

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            _The nightly battle for his body and mind had begun once again._

_            The feel of the soft bed beneath his body did nothing to bring comfort to the youth, as a body lay atop his own. There were no manacles, no chains, no bindings keeping him as still as he willed himself to be save for the thin collar around his neck. Nearly nonexistent in its light weight and thin frame, he had nonetheless learned how even the smallest of technology could be stronger than the thickest of chains. There was a time when he would have resisted, would have struggled; the collar released an electric current that pained his body for hours afterwards. There hadn't been resistance since._

_            As with each and every night, there was pain. Pain so great that, no matter how many times he experienced it, tears continued to be born. Luck was on his side tonight, however, as his mouth was not being assaulted; his mind escaped through the large, pane glass window that an entire wall was composed of. The night sky was his only escape._

_            A moan came from the being that he had been forced to call Master, and a metal hand clawed at his back. The birth of new scars brought a pained cry. Each and every night since it had begun had been as if it were the first; the pain, the fear, and the degradation were returned anew. He wanted death. He wished for death. He **prayed** for death. He did not know whether his friends were dead or alive._

_            "My little whore.." Came a purr from above, and he shuddered despite himself._

_-------------------------------------------------------------_

            The Dark Legion had made a mistake, Geoffry St. John mused to himself. They had murdered someone he cared for.

           After the news of Wombat Stu's death had been delivered to him, Geoffry was immediately filled with fury. He was not dark by nature, but had wanted nothing more than vengeance since he had known. Once details of his death had been known, the vengeance was transformed into a want, a **need**, for bloodshed. He wanted to kill every Dark Legionnaire, wanted to see them gasp their dying breath, and wanted them to suffer beyond suffering. 

            The three robed assassins had been found forcing a thick tree branch where it never belonged. Internal organs were all but destroyed. Wombat Stu had died within two hours.

            Hershey had not taken the news well at all. She had retreated to her home and hadn't been heard of for quite some time. Amy Rose, while wandering past the felines' home, had claimed that she had heard sobbing from the hut.

            Geoffry shot at targets with anger. Thankfully, the Secret Service training facility had a target range; if it hadn't, he didn't know what he would have done.

            They were to leave for Downunda that evening. Several Freedom Fighters had volunteered to accompany them once Sally had warned that the Dark Legion was heavily armed. The Guardian of Angel Island was to meet with them at their destination.

            He had lost two, now; Valdez had been gone for nearly three months, and now Stu had been murdered. As far as he was concerned, only a god would be able to save the murderers from his own wrath. The boys kidnapped from Angel Island were on his mind; be damned if he allowed another to be thrown into the valley of the shadow of death.

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            _They were dying. Vector Crocodile could feel it. Honestly, he was surprised that they weren't dead yet._

_            Six miserable weeks of pain and fear. Food was a rarity, sanity even rarer. There was hardly anything left of Mightys' mind as it was now. It was luck, Vector couldn't tell weather it was bad or good, that the armadillo was even still alive. Near constant assaults and near nonexistent nourishment had nearly destroyed the teen. It was merely his physical strength that kept him alive._

_            Vector still had not been assaulted. He understood, however, that he was slowly starving to death. Only a single Legionnaire had bothered to feed them._

_            A small, robed form slinked through the electronic doors; Vector breathed a sigh of relief. The small form held a tray in shaking hands, first heading towards the unconscious armadillo. A syringe came into view, yet Vector did not voice objections. He knew that all that the syringe contained was vitamins and nutrients. Then, the small form came to the crocodile with the tray. Scraps were all that the tray contained, but there were no complaints._

_            The eyes of the prisoner met those of the robed form. A child, a girl no older than eight or nine, stared from the darkness with worry. The young girl was all that was keeping the two Chaotix alive._

_            As Vector finished the scraps and the girl began to leave with the tray, he called out to her, asked her name. She turned to stare, pausing as if deciding whether to answer the query or not. After several seconds, she spoke with a clear, thin voice. "Donna-Ka."_

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            "I want to go with you."

            Princess Sally Acorn stared at Miles Prower with nothing short of shock. The request had seemed to arrive from nowhere. "Tails, I'm sorry, but I can't -- "

            "I knew him too, Aunt Sally! He was a friend of mine, too, and they killed him. I want to go with you to fight them!" The emotions within the young kitsunes' voice seemed foreign for the child; hatred and anger reigned. 

            Sally stared at the young Freedom Fighter for several minutes. She sighed deeply, as if succumbing to a darkness she knew she would regret. "Tails.. All right. But you have to stay with Sonic."

            Tails grinned widely, releasing an exuberant yell of joy before hugging the princess around the waist.

            Yet, somehow, Sally knew she would regret allowing Tails to accompany them.

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Stu: o_@ What th'.. What th' hell!? You introduced me and killed me within a few paragraphs!?

Espio: Eh, at least you're not locked up in a closet.

Mighty, Vector: @_@; Or dying.

Stu: I'm **dead**.

Mighty: Death is better! :P

Author: Uh.. I only do it out of love! ^__^;

All: *glare* :P

Author: Eh.. Heh.. Anyway, next chapter is the big ol' 'rescue' chapter bit. It MAY be the last chapter, but I'm not sure yet.. Depends how my muses write it out.. As usual, viva la feedback! ^__^ Comments, suggestions, flames, they're all welcome!

Response to reviews:

H.M. Slayne and TsunamiWave: ...What? *innocent grin* You DID ask for Freedom Fighter involvement..

Aero Echidna: A lemon? ..Uh.. I don't think I can write any more descriptive than I already am. ^^; I mean, to get away with an 'R' rating..

Skittles the Sugar Fairy: Love your username. *chuckles* ..I only portray what I see in my mind. Blame the muses. ^_-

Dr. Sipp: YES! Yes, I am! BWAHA! ..Seriously, once you said 'Stay away from Mighty', I just HAD to find a way to hurt him. :) ..Vector fans? Wait, you mean they EXIST? *gasp!* (Vector: HEY! :P)


	8. Chapter Eight: It's not over yet

Author's notes: ..Wow, did THAT take waaay too long.. I offer college and an anime convention as my excuses. ^^; By the way, won 'Best Individual' in the cosplay at Shoujocon 2003.. I was the only entry. :D Oh, and apologizes for the intro song in advance. Alba knows what I mean; I made a promise to use only one song per artist, but I used another Korn song. ^^; Well.. I like the song. So.. Nya. :P

Anyway, sorry about the long wait. There's ONE More chappy after this, then it's all over. ^^ Special thanks to Aulba Aulbath, H.M. Slayne, and for alllll the reviewers. :D I DO read and listen to the reviews! Viva la feedback!

Legal Notes: Don't own anyone but Calli-Ku and Donna-Ka. Feel free to borrow them, but just let me know. ^^

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_Sometimes, I can never tell_

_If I got something to help the pain_

_That's why I just beg and plead_

_For this curse to leave me_

_Tell me, why am I to blame?_

_Aren't we supposed to be the same?_

---- Korn, 'Did My Time'

            _"No, please! Don't do this!" They were only the latest of denials and outcries. "Please, don't take me away from my friends!" Somehow, the knowledge was present; his pleads would not be rewarded._

_            He was being dragged through the halls, chain linked to bound hands, pulled along by his captors' single flesh hand. He did not know where he was being taken, yet did not want to be taken away from the only comfort he ever had within this place. Sanity would flee without them, he feared._

_            A quick tug nearly brought him to his knees. "You shouldn't be worrying about your friends, Espy-chan." The captor sneered. "After all, you are **mine**. You will **always** be mine."_

_            An electronic door hissed open before them; Espio had no choice but to follow and enter. The hiss as the door slid shut behind him, inches from where the base of his tail would have been, seemed far louder than it was in actuality. A gasp could not be repressed, and eyes widened to their full._

_            A lushly furnished room lay before the captive chameleon's eyes. The private quarters, for that was the only place they could have been, seemed to have the best that modern luxury could offer. A pair of door less entries revealed a smaller bedroom and a bathroom; an entire wall of the quarters, reaching from the main room to the bedroom, was what appeared to be a window overlooking picturesque hills and a clear sky. Somehow, Espio knew that this was his captors' own quarters._

_            It was only then, only after the realization of where he had been taken had sunk in, did Espio notice the two Legionnaires who had been waiting within the room. "Hold him." Kragok's order was the only warning he received, before hands gripped his body._

_            Struggle was brief; hope had been lost too long beforehand for any real attempt at freedom to be made. The glimmer of a blade held within a flesh grip caused his body to tremble in fear; the hold of the two Legionnaires were all that kept the youth from collapse._

_            "You are **mine**." Came the words again, before screams enveloped the room._

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            A shudder came at the memory. That had been the start of something new, came the realization; something terrible had begun that day.

            A hand, his own, came to trace a series of scars along his chest, a clear display of Kragok's cruelty; the wounds were never allowed to heal correctly, intricate blade carvings. Kragok's name would likely be there for the rest of his life, displayed for the world to see.

            Yet, it hadn't ended there. After the blood had been cleaned from his shivering body and the Legionnaires has left captor and captive alone, a thin, metal collar had been placed around his neck. The small token of technology was nearly forgettable in its light weight.

            The following day, he had been left alone. He could still recall the shock that he had felt; there were no chains, no locks. The notion of escape reintroduced itself to his mind for the first time in what had seemed to be an eternity. However, as soon as he stepped past the open main doorway, the collar had released an electric shock powerful enough to bring him to collapse.

            The memory brought depression upon him again; the large window to the outside world was his only escape. He stood there, now, palms flat against the glass. It would be the closest he would ever be to freedom, he feared; only able to glance upon the small animals and birds that came by.

            A tear, a single crystalline drop, landed upon the collar.

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_            Crimson footsteps birthed into existence, marking the hills of Downunda with a tale of tragedy. Yet, the maiden who created these marks did not do so with her own blood; no, the blood of the youth within her arms was its parent._

_            Barby Koala was the fastest long distance runner out of all the Downunda Freedom Fighters; she was the logical candidate to bring Wombat Stu to the nearest hospital. Sadly, the facility was miles away; Barby feared she would not arrive in time to save her friends' life._

_            "Barby..?" A half choked whimper managed to make itself audible past the beating of her own heart. With a gasp of surprise, she slowed momentarily._

_            "Don't talk, Stu.." She could hear herself sob. "Please, just hang on.. We'll get to the hospital soon.."_

_            Stu hacked loudly; a harsh, terrible sound. A new spray of crimson escaped, coating Barby anew. She shuddered, and quickened her pace._

_            For a while afterwards, all that either released were breaths quickened either by pain or fatigue. Neither were certain how much time elapsed, nor how far the distance traveled, before the pained youth spoke again._

_           All that Barby heard, at first, was a quiet whimper. Then a voice, her dear friend, raw from painful breath. "Hey.. __Valdez__.." Stu coughed, and began to shiver violently. "Didn't think you'd be the one.. To take me away.." Abruptly, it seemed, the shivers ceased._

_            Then, and only then, did Barby stop. Only then did the maiden look upon her friends' face. Only then did the realization strike her heart and mind. Wombat Stu had died within her arms._

_            That was when she fell to the bloody earth, still clutching the corpse of what had once been a fourteen-year-old Freedom Fighter. That was when she began to scream._

_            That was how Guru Emu and Duck "Bill" Platypus found her half an hour later, screaming and crying to the heavens._

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            The Knothole Freedom Fighters had arrived earlier than expected. When the large vessel arrived bearing King Acorn's symbol, it had taken quite a number of unexpected citizens by surprise. It was due to this early arrival, however, that only two of the Downunda Freedom Fighters were able to greet them.

            Perhaps 'greet' is too positive a term, for joy was nonexistent. Acknowledgements were kept to a bare minimum; simple nods between leaders, expressions marked by understanding, grief and anger. There was no tension between the groups as there had been in the past.

            It was either by chance or by fate, perhaps a slight of both, that the eyes of two grief stricken individuals met each other at that moment. The two had never met before that time, separated by an ocean, and only knew of each others' existence by the words of mutual allies. Yet, a bond was formed at that moment.

            As Hershey Cat and Barby Koala approached each other, both intending nothing more than an emotionless handshake, neither were able to repress their emotions. Within seconds, the two women collapsed within each other, sobbing mutual grief.

            Silence reigned, and none attempted to separate them.

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            Something strange had begun to happen to Mighty Armadillo, came a sudden realization. The youth was not quite.. Himself. Yet, Vector mused, there really was no reason for their minds to maintain sanity at all. Difference in personality and mind wasn't difficult to occur here. Yet, the crocodile could not help but feel that something terrible was happening, something he could not see or hear, something beyond everything; there was something he could not place.

            Mighty was unconscious; a slumber forced after constant abuse. Vector could not recall when his friend was last allowed to sleep, to rest.

            Occasionally, Mighty would scream. Not even during his rest could he escape from this hell.

            With a quivering sigh, Vector could barely repress a sob. He tried terribly hard to be strong here; if he couldn't, who could Mighty look for strength, for sanity? There was a time when the notion of the armadillo looking to him for strength would have seemed impossible, even ludicrous. Yet, Vector knew that Mighty had been broken, had nothing left in his emotional reserve.

            The greatest fear, now, was that he would loose himself within the darkness. Vector feared he would cross the line into insanity. 

            He feared he would loose his mind.

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            Privacy was not a rarity amongst the Freedom Fighters. Within every continent, there was a place where the lands' proclaimed protectors would be able to go to plan and strategize without fear of civilian intrusion. Downunda bore no difference, as a building that once belonged to the mechanical monstrosity known as Crocbot now served as a central for the Downunda Freedom Fighters. The best protected room of the fortress became a planning center, a place for strategy and intelligence.

            Now, there was no difference to the usual routine, save for a single fact; more than the usual number of Freedom Fighters sat around the single large table within the room.

            The Guardian of Angel Island, as well as the remainder of the islands' protectors, had arrived a short while after the Knothole Freedom Fighters had stepped upon Downunda's soil. Grim faced, but not without a spark of joy, there had been a great contrast between displayed emotions once all were together; grief showed upon some, while hope upon others.

            The leader of the Downundians began the meeting; Walt Wallaby wanted to know facts, wanted information, wanted to know everything he could about those that had murdered his friend. 

            The facts were easily dealt with; for a short while, none were able to approach the emotional aspect. None were able to bring up the reason why they were all together, **how **a young wombat had died. This silence was broken abruptly, nearly surprisingly, by the single person there who knew more about the enemy than anyone else. "The Dark Legion has been doing this for years. Kragok more than any one else. Rape was always a part of Legion culture."

            All eyes, most wide in shock, turned to stare at Julie-Su.

            A deep sigh escaped from a grim Geoffry St. John. "It should have been bloody obvious.." Before the query was even spoken, Geoffry glanced at the other Freedom Fighters within the room. "I looked at th' bloody file on this Kragok bloke. Why else would anyone.. how old is 'e, thirty five? Why else would someone tha' age hold three boys without any kind of ransom?"

            Concern, anger, shock and horror passed amongst those that didn't know. Low voices came and went quickly, as one rose his voice higher than the others. "Most of you aren't as close to this as I am, and I'm not going to lie to you. The Legion is powerful, **very** powerful, and came close too many times to complete takeover of Angel Island in the past." Knuckles glanced between the now silent Freedom Fighters, determination shining within eyes reddened by insomnia. "The Dark Legion took three of my closest friends.. No, three of my **brothers** away from me." An expression of understanding and of sadness was sent towards the Downunda Freedom Fighters and the Secret Service operatives. "Now, you understand. They took a brother away from you, as well." A short sigh escaped. "I know they're alive, I know they're in pain, and I refuse to abandon them."

            Silence reigned for a brief moment. Brief, only for that it was broken by a grim smile upon a hedgehogs' face. "So.. What's the plan?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

            "How could something like this be built without anybody noticing?" The query came from one of the Knothole volunteers. It was a question on quite a few minds, it seemed, for voices of confusion briefly answered.

            "It was built a very long time ago. I doubt that there's anyone alive who was around when the Legion built it." Knuckles was the voice of reason. Somehow, he knew the question was both asked and answered in the past.

            The focus of the conversation was none other than the series of hills upon Downundas' surface. None would have noticed from the outside, but the interior of the entire landscape was completely mechanical. Hardly any of its' entirety was of natures' design. To those who knew of them intimately, it reeked of Legionairre design. As it stood, the combined forces of Freedom Fighters and volunteers were posed and ready to attack where they could; special equipment located several less than secure entrances.

            Words were passed between allies; promises to be safe, encouragement to hurt the enemy, condolences for those that have lost. A twin-tailed kitsune stayed at the side of a blue hedgehog; everyone knew who both were, and few were surprised that they were there.

            Walt Wallaby pointed out areas of attack. Princess Sally Acorn made a count of all on their side. Knuckles Echidna glowed in preparation and fury.

            With a single shout, the attack began.

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            _Daddy was inside the room again. Daddy was always going to the room, now. It didn't matter, though; at least daddy didn't hurt as much._

_            It used to be that daddy was always hurting. He said it was because he loved. Was love supposed to hurt? Daddy said so. Mommy never tried to stop daddy's love, and mommy never loved that way. Daddy loved mommy, too. I've seen daddy love mommy._

_            Now, since those bigger boys were in the room, daddy always went in there with daddy's friends. Daddy's friends loved and hurt a lot of people, too. Did daddy love and hurt the boys in the room? Mommy was a teacher, and taught how to help and heal people. The boys needed healing.._

_            Following daddy inside the room was dangerous; daddy could find out any time, and start hurting and loving again. I don't want to be loved again._

_            The boys are very nice. They're afraid, like I am, but they know that they need healing._

_            The bigger boy asked my name. Should the boys know my name? They might tell daddy.._

_            After I think about it, I decide that they won't tell daddy. I tell them my name. "Donna-Ka."_

_            Can the boys be my friends?_

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            The Dark Legion had not been expecting an attack. As the halls shook with the force of explosions, many robed figures were taken off their feet. Some literally, caught within explosions, debris being sent around. Sonic Hedgehog smiled brightly; to him, this could not have been planned better.

            Speeding between allies to take down as many enemies as possible, the hedgehog managed to keep a watchful eye upon a ten-year-old kitsune; Tails, for the first time in his young life, carried a blaster.

            Guns, blasters, swords, fists, crossbows; all were in use here. The lack of technological weaponry did not seem to hinder the attacking Freedom Fighters; for that, Sonic was thankful.

            Someone was calling his name. The call could barely be heard above the symphony of battle; a visual overlook of the situation had to be made to pinpoint where the call originated. The hedgehog teen dashed towards a feline volunteer and what appeared to be a Legionnaire child. "What's happening?" Came the query to the volunteer, as he looked upon the robed child. A young echidna girl, younger than Tails.

            "I know where the boys are!" The girl squeaked, voice thin and high-pitched from youth. The boys? Could she have been referring to Mighty, Vector and Espio?

            "Lead the way, kid!" A simple order, before they were off.

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            The room was shaking. This simple bit of knowledge sent panic and fear through the mind of Vector Crocodile. The room had never shaken in the past; was an earthquake happening?

            Mighty awoke, squeaking in fright. At first, the abused armadillo was unsure what was happening; he stared at his friend, eyes wide, confused, and full of fear.

            A strange sound made itself known. Looking to the wall, where the chains met concrete, Vectors' eyes widened to their full; the base of the chains was loose. He pulled with what he could find left in his physical reserve; if he could only get it free.. The concept of escape reintroduced itself.

            As if a deity heard his silent plea, the chains snapped apart with a resounding 'clang'. The crocodile youth fell back upon the ground, breathing harshly.

            For a few brief seconds, all that Vector could feel was immense relief; there was a chance now, a glimmer of hope, that they might be able to be free again. Hope was so rare here; to find it again was practically sacred. He tried to lift himself off the ground, only for hope to crack; he had been chained, unable to stand and walk, for so long that it was now impossible to do so on his own. He was free of the chains, but still could not get off the ground. A sob of frustration could not be repressed.

            That was when the door hissed open; two pairs of frightened eyes quickly glanced towards the electronic doors; both silently prayed. Relief quickly replaced fear; the only Legionnaire who ever cared about them stood there. Behind the savior child stood a figure Vector thought he would never see again; a cry of joy filled the air. "Sonic!"

            The hedgehog, for his part, could only stare in horror and shock. After a moments' hesitation, his mind cleared, and freedom was sought.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

            The Freedom Fighters, when the battle began, had a sound plan; battle tactics from multiple experienced individuals combined to form practical perfections. Yet, in every plan, there was always a simple, single mistake that is overlooked. A simple imperfection that, in an aftermath, is always looked back upon as pure stupidity. Here, it was the simple underestimation of Legionnaires within the complex; it was nothing short of miraculous that none of the Freedom Fighters or volunteers had fallen thus far.

            Swerve. Block. Pull, pull, pull.

            Geoffry St. John had always found that the simplest of thoughts served best for battle; the fewer distractions there were, the more likely he was to survive. Still, he paid as much attention as possible to his allies and to those under his command.

            Dodge, pull. ...Someone is shrieking.

            With a quick turn, both to dodge blaster fire and to see who was shrieking, his eyes laid upon the problem. He froze in momentary shock, before he called for his allies to hold their fire.

            A brown porcupine, one of the volunteers from Knothole, found himself in a dire situation; a Legionnaire, mostly mechanical by first glance, had a blaster shoved directly at the side of the unfortunate hostages' skull. The Legionnaire's other arm was wrapped around the porcupines' chest; a mechanical chassis was probable, since quills did naught.

            "Dylan!" A woman shrieked in panic. That was what Geoffry had heard before.

            The Legionnaire of focus called for none to move. Nearly amazingly, both sides obeyed this rule. Granted, the Legionnaires aimed their blasted to enunciate the threats; the porcupine hostage struggled briefly, fear shining within widened brown eyes. Even as the woman who had shrieked moments before, a platypus maiden of indigo shade, began to threaten the Legionnaire that held her friend, a new threat was called out; "Put your hands in the air, and shut up! If you don't, a lot worse than death will be done to this guy!" Even as he spoke, as if to prove that he did not call empty threats, the hand that did not hold the blaster moved downwards and towards the most intimate of places. Immediately, the hostage began to hyperventilate in sudden panic.

            A new sound caused both sides to pause. It rose with volume as each second passed, until Geoffry was able to discern what it was; buzzing. Before any action could be made by either side, a single shot rang out.

            The hostage holder fell upon the ground, blood pooled around his head. The porcupine jumped away, kneeling upon the ground, still breathing hard. The last being any would have expected stood several feet away, smoke billowing away from a standard bullet gun; a bee stood there.

            Suddenly, it seems, the Legionnaires were surrounded by dozens upon dozens of bees, enlarged to standard Mobian size; Geoffry couldn't help but grin, recognizing the symbol displayed proudly upon helmets and weapons alike.

            The imperial crest of the Golden Hive Colony.

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            He stood at the window, again. Whenever Kragok wasn't there, that was where he stood. Looking upon those that were free was all that he had left.

            Once, Kragok, who insisted on being called 'Master' and never stood for disobedience, had tried to transform the view of the outside into a pain filled memory; tortured, while being forced to look upon freedom. It had nearly worked; Espio had to force himself to continue to grasp at what was left.

            He heard the electronic door hiss open; he stiffened in fear, yet did not move away from the window. However, he had not been expecting the voice that rang through the still air. His name was called, tentative and unsure.

            Espio, for a brief moment, was too shocked to move. After he was able to collect his thoughts, he turned; he prayed he was not hallucinating, prayed that this was not a trick. Prayed that he was truly looking upon Knuckles Echidna, Guardian of Angel Island. The Guardian's name was spoken, as unsure as his own name had been spoken seconds before. Before he could stop himself, he rushed towards his friend.

            Knuckles had begun to do the same; Espio was able to collapse into the first of joy-birthed tears that he was able to experience since his first capture. Knuckles attempted to sooth his friend, had attempted to calm his friend enough for escape. Words of encouragement, an assurance that they could escape this place, was spoken. The Guardian became surprised when the still captive chameleon froze and released a pure sob.

            Espio began to babble, motioning to the collar around his neck. Knuckles could not make sense of his worse, tried to calm his friend enough to understand; that was when a voice neither wanted to hear interrupted the fragile moment.

            "He can't escape. He **won't** escape. And neither will **you**."

            Both pairs of eyes, one frightened and one angry, turned to stare at Kragok. Espio could not find it within himself to speak; Knuckles quickly realized this, and put forward his own queries. "We have this place surrounded, Kragok. My friends are leaving. You won't hurt them again!"

            "As soon as my whore leaves this room, the collar around his neck will electrocute him. I have it programmed that if he managed to leave the complex, it will explode and take his life." Through all this, the Dark Legion Commander grinned widely.

            Espio began to sob, a cry that spoke of clear hopelessness. Knuckles, despite his species, began to growl.

            Kragok laughed maniacally. "Do you want to know how I managed to do all this? How I managed to obtain little Espy-chan, my little whore? You must have realized I couldn't do it on my own."

            Knuckled froze in mild surprise. What could he be suggesting at? "What are you talking about?"

            "Oh, come **on** now!" Another dark laugh. "You must have realized that my men attacked his hospital room **only**, or that my men got through his homes' defenses without so much as setting them off! How do you suppose I did all this?" Kragok was gloating, had believed himself to have already won.

            New footsteps, those with a heel, echoed for a brief moment before the electronic door hissed open anew. An echidna women, richly garbed, stood there; Knuckles had absolutely no idea who this woman was. Kragok laughed, noticing the confusion within his enemies' eyes, and motioned to the smiling woman. "I see you don't recognize Chancellor Calli-Ku."

            Knuckled boggled, staring at the woman. Hadn't this been the woman who raved about how terrible the Legion was on television, how the Echidna Security Agency would stop at nothing to find the kidnapped Chaotix? Despite the mountains of questions swirling within his mind, only one query managed to make itself past; "Why?"

            Calli-Ku's smile transformed into an angry sneer. "You want to know why? I hate them. Simple as that." A laugh, a crystal, nearly innocent chuckle, released itself from the woman's throat. "Chameleons.. They always thought themselves so much better than echidnas, keeping away from our city, when every other species knew we were superior!"

            Knuckles was left speechless. From everything that had happened, from all that he had learned and experienced, he never would have thought -- had, indeed, never given it the thought -- that this had all been.. **racial**. A gasp from the still silent Espio gave notice that he hadn't known, either.

            Before any further actions could be made by those that had thought themselves to have won, Knuckles began to glow. A vicious, green glow.

            The last that Calli-Ku and Kragok heard before the glow surrounded them was their enemies' angry shriek.

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Aaand.. That's a wrap! ^^ Still one more to go, though! The big final chappy!

Mighty: Oh my god, we survived! :D

Yup! ^^

Knuckles: ..How the heck did you manage to turn it racial? o.O; Isn't the term 'special'?

Meh, the origonal term worked better. ^^ Viva la feedback!

Response to reviews on fanfiction.net:

D.K.N: Uhm.. I'm sorry, but that really was just not possible. If people were able to simply 'abort' pregnancies in reality, then I might have considered it. But since women can't, she can't either. Sorry. ^^;

Tehknoe and The Man with the Golden Sun: ...That's not going to happen, either. ^^;; Thanks for the suggestion, though. I love suggestions. ^_^

Davifflaelan: *giggles!* I really loved your review. :D Especially the touch of the happy face at the end. *claps!* You made my day when I read it!

H.M.Slayne: *laughs!* Hey, there's still a chapter to go..

Dr. Sipp: ..Wow, you are either going to be very angry or very happy now. ^^; Heh..


	9. Chapter Nine: Dun dun duuuun!

Author Notes: ...Wow, this took longer than it should've.. I blame writers block and sleeping muses. :P

Legal stuff: Don't own anyone but Donna-Ka and Calli-Ku and someone new at the end of the chapter. Contact me if you want to use them. ^^

There will be no more chapters. This is the end. Bwahaha. Enjoy. ^_^

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**Captive Part Nine**

Thing's aren't the way they were before

You wouldn't even recognize me anymore

Not that you knew me back then

But it all comes back to me

In the end

--- 'In The End; Linkin Park

_            Once reinforcements had arrived, the Dark Legion hadn't stood a chance._

_            It was never quite clear how Prince Charmy of the Golden Hive Colony had even known about the battle, how he had known when and where the Freedom Fighters had attacked the hidden Dark Legion encampment. Those that looked back upon it eventually came to decide that it really hadn't mattered how he had known; help was desperately required at the time._

_            Even as the remarkably skilled bees were helping the last of the Freedom Fighters that needed to be helped, a great emerald glow overtook the area. Citizens who were near the hills had later said that they were able to see the phenomenon from nearly ten miles away. Regardless, it had taken those at the scene a full hour to figure out what had happened._

_            Almost strangely, it had been Bunnie Rabbot who had found the four bodies, only half of which had survived. Knuckles Echidna and Espio Chameleon were unconscious. The remaining bodies were, at the time, too badly mangled and had hardly anything left to know who they were. It had taken two weeks worth of testing to find that Kragok and Chancellor Calli-Ku were what they once were. Knuckles never explained what had happened._

_            The three rescued teenagers were immediately sent to the nearest hospital within Downunda, before being transferred to Angel Island a week afterwards. _

_            Vector, for the most part, had the best physical recovery any could have hoped for; the greatest wounds were upon his mind. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the doctors had called it, had claimed that it would take time to recover from, should he ever. His condition had fluctuated briefly, when he received news of Mighty's assessment._

_            The armadillo teen had been unable to recover from his torture. However, doctors had told the Guardian that they were not surprised; torture of such a scale never left an individual unscathed. He had taken the longest at physical recovery from the rescued trio, and would suffer for the rest of his life; Multiple Personality Disorder left little room for true salvation._

_            It came as a shock to nearly everyone when they had found that Espio had been given remote care during his captivity; he had later told that Kragok had allowed him to bathe and to eat. Trauma was inevitable, however; the chameleon teen was left with reoccurring nightmares and with a depressed deposition. He was not the same as he had once been._

_            Hundreds of Legionnaires at the base within the hills were arrested; only one during the entire battle had fallen to death. What had came as a surprise were the number of children within the complex; dozens of children below the age of ten who knew how to use a blaster. It was found with little surprise that over half of them had been abused in some way or form. Yet, only one of these children had captured the attention of the Freedom Fighters._

_            Donna-Ka was younger than originally thought; the young girl had passed her sixth year of life mere weeks before the attack. After word had passed along that it had been the seven-year-old who had lead Sonic the Hedgehog to the imprisoned Chaotix, there had been offers of adoption. After some time, and with a sense of shock to several people, Julie-Su had decided to adopt the child; not as her own, she had claimed, but as a sibling. There had been no argument, and there had been no attempt to change the child's' surname. A fortnight later, Donna-Ka began calling herself Donna-Su._

_            Despite all that had happened, something positive had come from all the suffering; Downunda, Angel Island, and Knothole were in constant contact afterwards. The three lands had been united, in a sense; they were willing to help each other in every and all aspects, whereas they were rather territorial beforehand. All past animosity was forgotten._

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            He was.. home. Somehow, he was still surprised with that fact, still surprised that he was no longer a prisoner. Freedom, a simple notion that he once took for granted, was now cherished with the still shocked knowledge that he actually had it.

            Someone had cleaned up his home, had put everything where it had been before the past year had occurred. He wasn't quite sure how, but this brought a sense of peace to his mind.

            He had been back upon Angel Island for nearly six months, but had only been released from St. Angel Hospital recently. This was the first time he had been home in what seemed like an eternity.

            Espio sat upon his bed, his regrown tail wrapping itself around the base of a small lamp. He gave a stare at the tail in question; it twitched, as if greeting him in return. Attention drifted back towards his surroundings; his own bed had never felt so soft, so comforting, so **safe**. There was such a joy at simply being home, that it was all he could do not to cry in joy.

            A knock sounded at the door. For a moment, all he found himself able to do was stare in surprise; the homes of chameleons were practically invisible to most inhabitants, and nearly all of the chameleons who lived nearby had never had much contact with him. Not since the situation with Valdez had passed all that time ago.

            The knock didn't return after that first sound, but Espio opened the door regardless; there was no one there. A sound caused him to look down, at a small plaque of wood used as a welcome mat. A small bundle, wrapped in a blanket, was all that was there. Confused, if remotely paranoid, Espio did not take the bundle within his own home. Fears, both practical and ludicrous, danced along his mind. It was not until he unwrapped it did most of the fears vanish.

            An infant, sleeping soundly, lay at his doorstep. 

            He had absolutely no idea what he should do; after some time, decision came to first take the child within the safety of his home. Only when he was within his home and had gotten a full look at the infant had his fear exploded into shock.

            The child, for the most part, appeared to be an echidna. Espio hadn't given it much thought when he had brought the infant indoors; echidnas did make up nearly a quarter of the islands' population. However, as the crimson-furred baby was lifted from the blankets, the realization came that it certainly was not an echidna; not completely, at any rate. A long, thin tail was the first sign of difference; small spikes adorning the infants' back was the second. Realization came with such a force, that the child had nearly been dropped in shock.

            The child was his own.

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_            Having been born and raised within Downunda and then drafted into a Secret Service, Wombat Stu had neither the time nor the connections to meet many people. His collection of friends had been small, had only included those he fought by. It was little surprise that his funeral had been planned to be small. Intentions, however, are very rarely met in the lives of fighters._

_            Dozens had arrived at the closed casket funeral. Most had never met the poor boy, had only heard that he had been murdered. Nearly all were from Knothole; they felt it was their duty as Freedom Fighters to show their respects. There had been no complaints._

_            A great hush, a deep sadness, had fallen over them all once it had begun. The only words spoken were of the dead, words that had been passed countless times before; how full of life he had been, how great he had been. The only words spoken with true sincerity were of how great a tragedy it was. No person deserved to die the way he had._

_            Once it had been spoken, a surprising event had occurred; the first tears from the Commander of the Secret Service had been shed. A black-furred feline, sobbing hysterically, offered meager comfort at his side. They had lost another comrade, another friend; it was apparent that they would not recover from the series of deaths properly._

_            None offered any other form of comfort, even as the hand of one intertwined with the other._

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            The phone gave a sudden call of life, surprising the Guardian. He had stepped into his home scant minutes before, eager to rest after a rather hectic day of duty. Nothing alarming had occurred; it had merely been tiring. He was prepared to swear vehemently at whoever had decided to call. However, he was unprepared for what he was told.

            A doctor was on the other end, a call from Saint Angel Hospital; a request for his attendance. At the time, nothing was told what the problem had been; only that it directly involved his Chaotix.

            At first, he had been panicked; after all that had happened, there was a great fear that there had somehow been a long term physical effect. He had to remind himself that no sexually transmitted diseases had been detected in any of his friends.

            It came as a surprise when Vector and Mighty, both sane for the moment, were as confused as he was. There was a quick note for Espio's absence, before a doctor arrived.

            Queries were quickly silenced. The doctor spoke softly, warning that what they were about to be told may disturb and frighten them; it only mounted their fears. Espio arrived as soon as the doctor had finished speaking, a bundle of cloth held in his arms.

            Espio stammered, unable to form proper coherency for a brief few seconds. "Uhm, guys.. I.." He paused for a moment. "I want you to meet my son."

            Shock reigned.

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Nevermore: ..Heehee.. ^__^ Aren't I just mean?

Mighty: ....

Vector: ....

Espio: ... ...Well, it could've been worse, I suppose..

Mighty: ..I have WHAT, now?!

Nevermore: Kyaha. ^^; There may be a sequel. Let me know if you want a sequel in a review, I guess..

Response to reviews:

Davifflaelan: Well, I killed Kragok and Calli-Ku. Is that good enough? ^^

H.M. Slayne: Uhm, no, I'm not working off that thing where Knux turns green. I think this just happens a bit after the end of the Knuckles comic series.. AU, and all, so I suppose it could happen in a realm of it's own. :D Knux just has those spiff Guardian powers.. I figure he'd use 'em, if he'd be mad enough.. XD

Sarama Morgan: Hmm, well, Lien-Da IS still alive.. I think.. Heehee..

Viva la feedback! ^_^


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